Q: I just moved to Montreal and am thinking of visiting Rue Chabanel for their upcoming Deux par Deux sale. However, I am not sure as I don’t know how much the discounts are and if they are enough to justify the lineups/crowds, etc. Any insights would be appreciated.
A: Chabanel is open on Saturday mornings 9-1. My book has 5 pages about Chabanel with listings in suites with what you can find there. Chabanel has many showrooms open with merchandise direct from the manufacturer or importer. “Open to the Public” is very much alive either on Saturday mornings or certain hours during the week. You will find some of the same first quality merchandise as in stores or boutiques in town. Don’t be shy – everyone knows and everyone goes.
Here are A Few Tips To Guide You:
1) Know Your Retail Price. The discounts can be outstanding (up to 90%), but these days some outlets, especially retail-like ones in the Chabanel buildings, may have the same price as a discount store where you have better service, choice of hours, exchange policies, etc.
2) Dress for easy try-ons. The dressing room may be a bathroom, behind a curtain or a communal area.
3) Check out the entire showroom before zooming in on one rack. Often parts of a set may be separated. Make sure tops and bottoms of a set are the same size and dye lot.
4) Go by eye where size is concerned. Sizes can occasionally be inconsistently marked, especially if it’s a sample or a second. If it looks right, try it on.
5) Don’t be put off by a ripped seam – the repair, even if you can’t do it yourself, is often a lot less than the money you’re saving. Do, however, check carefully for: snaps that snap, cuffs that are the right side around, centered collars, working zippers, holes in knits, etc. You should, with a practiced eye, be able to run over a piece in 20 seconds.
6) Be prepared to buy immediately if something strikes you. Successful shopping is partly luck; Pounce on a find before someone else does as it probably won’t be there if you go back.
7) Bring cash. Don’t be afraid to bargain, especially if you’re buying a few things in one spot.
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