Hidden Gems at Daffy's

Won't have a chance to visit the stores for new stuff til late this week, so thought I'd post on some stuff most people probably don't know you can find at Daffy's. The first two are in Daffy's stores right now (specific stores are listed); the last one, I'm unsure if the stuff has arrived yet, or where/when it will arrive.

1) Les Copains (made in Italy) -- At the beginning of every season, a small number of Daffy's stores get in a very limited selection of merchandise from Italian label Les Copains. This stuff is very high-end, and the prices generally go higher than most other items -- $60-$80 per piece, for shirts, pants and some beautiful chunky knits. Currently the Paramus, NJ store and the 57th St East Side store have very small racks of this stuff available -- almost everything in the shirting and knits is a size medium (around sz. 50EU/40US). This stuff sells in high-end stores including Saks for around $200-$300/shirt, knits are probably even more.

2) Paul & Shark (made in Italy) - While not really the most stylish label you'll find, this stuff is again pretty high-end. Only one Daffy's location carries it -- Paramus, NJ -- no other store carries the merchandise. As with just about every major label they get, the stuff comes in once at the beginning of the season and that's it. They generally get a good selection of button-downs, jackets and pants. Prices range $50+ for the shirts, $70+ for jackets, and I believe around $60+ for the pants.


3) Pal Zileri, Zegna...(made in Italy) - Daffy's does NOT get closeouts directly from these companies. However, for as long as I've been shopping at Daffy's, once a season they get in a rack of closeouts from a menswear store out on Long Island called Tyrone's. It's literally, just one rack of clothing, usually consisting of a few suits and blazers from Pal Zileri and Zegna, and then other random pieces the store couldn't sell -- last season this included stuff from Belvest and Moschino. Sizing on this stuff is all over the place b/c it's whatever the store couldn't sell. You'll know this merchandise is not from Daffy's usual sources b/c there will be a tiny little handwritten white price tag hanging from the garments with the original sale price. Daffy's prices on these things are pretty good, but are considerably higher than the stuff they get directly from Italy -- around $500-$600 for a suit from Zileri or Zegna in the past few seasons.

The major problem, however, is actually finding the merchandise -- you never know when it comes in, and the location of the rack seems to change each season and is then moved around as the season progresses -- For the longest time, this merchandise would come in exclusively to the Paramus, NJ store. Last fall, however, the rack debuted at the 18th St. store, and subsequently moved to a different location later on in the season. Your guess is as good as mine where the buyers will be placing the rack this season, but if anyone here's reading this and you see what I'm describing, please leave a comment!