Earlier this morning, pedestrians walking down the block at 16th Street and Seventh Avenue in New York City would have noticed a curious crowd of stylish girls and gays lined up near the old Barneys New York flagship at 101 Seventh Avenue. The young fashion lovers standing in the queue, which snaked around the block onto 17th Street, were all waiting to be let inside the Heaven by Marc Jacobs archive sale, which runs until Sunday and also features discounted items from buzzy brands such as Vaquera, Sandy Liang, Mowalola, and Eckhaus Latta. Many of the eager shoppers were young students, all of whom were hoping to snag a deal on the brand’s signature graphic tees and playful bags—while dressed impeccably in their own curated Heaven looks for the affair, of course. It was a true fashion-forward camp-out: Groups of kids sat cross-legged on the floors on large blankets, patiently waiting to be let inside.
Some of the devoted shoppers in line were waiting long before the sale opened at 11 a.m. sharp. In fact, many took their posts well before sunrise: Friends Laura Aguiler and Xiomy Guija, who were first in line, had been waiting since 3:30 a.m. “We came early thinking it was going to be a huge line, and it was actually empty,” laughed Guija. Sherylin Nacipucha and Natalie Flores, just a few groups behind them, had been waiting since 4:30 a.m. “We love Heaven,” said Nacipucha. “Who wouldn’t want a good deal?” Impressively enough, Raymella Lowry had even stayed up all night for the event. “Me and my best friend are bartenders—we closed at 5 a.m., and came straight here,” said Raymella.
Their devotion to scoring discounted goods—Heaven pieces were up to 70% off retail—was impressive, but their stylish looks were just as commendable. The event doubled as a street style bonanza: It was a sea of baggy jeans, mini skirts paired with biker boots, Heaven star tees, and Mowalola hats. Once the doors opened, the real frenzy began.
Shoppers made a beeline for the bags and jewelry on the main floor, zeroing in on specific items like eagle-eyed assassins. Turns out, many of the shoppers had compiled dream lists before even entering. “We’re here with a clear goal in mind,” said Aguiler, who had their eye on a jersey from the Heaven Deftones capsule collection. “I’m looking for the Heaven bags, and a few of the pieces they did in collaboration with Sandy Liang,” said Flores.
Inside, it wasn’t your average disorganized sample sale with clothes strewn about. Merchandise was nearly organized and spanned two floors, just like how Barneys (R.I.P.) would display its luxury goods, and was shown alongside giant purple squirrel sculptures by Robert Crumb. The assortment of garments was plentiful: You could find Heaven tops in mesh, florals, and camo; chic Sandy Liang coats and dresses with Peter Pan-style collars; cool Vaquera flannel shirts with built-in lace camisoles; Mowalola hats with giant Ms on them, fashioned into a McDonald’s style logo. As Hole blasted from the store speakers, shoppers frantically scoured the racks with both panic and excitement in their eyes.
It was a scene that certainly livened up the city on a sleepy Summer Friday. And should you want to see the action for yourself, the fun isn’t over just yet: The sale runs until Sunday, meaning you can take your chances at being allowed into the pearly gates of Heaven yourself.
