Sometimes, a place that draws a specific kind of crowd — from a sample sale to an office lunch spot — can yield a wealth of shopping intel. What are these like-minded people all into right now? What sneakers are they wearing? What is that pants brand? For this edition of “People Watching,” we posted up at the Market Market sale at United Nations Plaza.
After a six-year hiatus, Dover Street Market’s Market Market archive sale returned to New York last weekend. The blowout sale, which delivered heavily slashed prices on every brand in the Comme des Garçons family as well as a slew of designer favorites carried by DSM, took place in London last month and spawned an outpouring of TikTok hauls with people showing off their 80 percent off Raf Simons, Maison Margiela, and Jil Sander pieces, so I was positive that this one would be a Hunger Games for hypebeasts. On Sunday, June 11, I headed to the United Nations Plaza, where scores of peacocking fashion people milled about next to diplomats being dropped off in darkened SUVs; it was the last day of the four-day sale, so I was expecting the crowd to be relatively smaller and chiller, but by the time I got there at 10 a.m., there was already a long line snaking its way around the building, with people at the very front reporting that they’d started queuing at 7:30 a.m. For two hours, I made my way up and down the line, chatting with people about their fit details, the designers they were excited to cop, and the books they brought with them to while away the waiting time.
Camo was everywhere
From T-shirts to cargo pants, camo print was basically treated as a neutral. RealTree outranked all other camo; I spotted both the brand’s shirts and pants in line.
Issey fans abounded, of course
“All her work is wonderful. She’s gifted,” said Debra Byrne of the Japanese designer (Byrne is pictured above in the RealTree photo, wearing an Issey orange blouse, Niko And overalls, Margiela earrings, and Isabel Marant sneakers). As for those who couldn’t afford real Pleats Please — such as graphic designer Allie Farris (shown at left) — Uniqlo provided a fairly convincing dupe.
The purple Big Bud Press jumpsuit made a repeat appearance
I spotted Bobblehaus assistant fashion designer Reema Minawala wearing the same lavender jumpsuit I noticed on a Swiftie — clearly a versatile wardrobe staple!
Some shoppers simply wore one designer head to toe
“My shades are Rick Owens, this T-shirt is Rick Owens, these shorts are Rick Owens, these sneakers are Rick Owens,” said Darren Roberts (pictured at left on the right). “Except my jacket, it’s Ann Demeulemeester.”
I’m a fan of the brand PH5, so I immediately clocked someone wearing their signature wavy hem skirt
She paired it with a hoodie from Uniqlo’s sister brand GU, which recently opened a Soho location, and Balenciaga slippers.
Not everyone was dripped out in all designer, however
H&M and Uniqlo were, not surprisingly, people’s go-tos for basics like tanks, which were then paired with statement pieces like baggy jeans or an eye-catching embroidered skirt.
The true sample-sale shoppers wore Spanx under their outfits
There were no individual dressing rooms, just a dedicated “try-on” area, so in-the-know shoppers wore sports bras and bike shorts so they could quickly pull clothes on and off.
Tabis, the footwear of choice for fashun types, were of course out in full force
Found in the form of the Margiela x Reebok sneakers, Nike Rifts, and flat ankle boots.
Black umbrellas made for good parasols
Five people brought umbrellas with them, and they were notably all black. “UV is a killer. Gotta block that,” said John Kopp, a writer at V Magazine.
A shady sunhat works, too
Preferably a brightly patterned Pucci one, like this vintage number worn by data scientist Katie Barnwell (pictured to the left at right).
Here’s the survival kit that one group of friends brought
Friends Peyton Li, Jess Chang, and Cindy Ding (all pictured above) arrived around 7:30 a.m., and brought along water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and Monopoly Deal in their rolling cart, which provided both seating and a surface for playing cards.
Four people brought books to read in line
The titles I saw: If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle, On Death and Dying, and The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again). “I’m trying not to look at my phone so much. I’ve been addicted to playing Tetris lately, so I need a break,” said the Calvino reader, software engineer Adelle Fernando (pictured above).
There was a 10-year-old who’s definitely cooler than you
“I’m wearing skirts I made myself, a Bikini Kill shirt, Doc Martens, and a Kuromi bag,” said Momo Kobayashi (who was also spending her time in line crocheting).
When it came to jewelry, most people wore thick, chunky, or layered pieces
I saw people iced out in rings and chains from Luke Vicious and Vitaly, but plenty of cheap Amazon finds as well. I also encountered lots of self-made jewelry, including a necklace from artist Nedavius Ladmirault’s own brand (pictured above at right).
Shoppers had a different definition of “dressing down”
Ryan Vella, a Lasell University student (pictured below) wore a Boondocks tee, collaged Supreme pants, and Sprayground backpack emblazoned with ’90s Nickelodeon characters. “I didn’t really put too much on today. This is one of my quiet fits,” he says.
Here’s a sampling of other statement pieces I saw
From a tactile cotton vest to John Fluevog stompers.
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