A bridal sample is the gown brides tried on in the showroom. When a designer's collection moves on, that sample comes off the floor and finds one last bride at a fraction of what it was: the same silk, the same beadwork, the same atelier, in the one size it was made in. It is the loveliest kind of luck. For a bride on a short timeline it is often the fastest way to a gown, and for anyone who wants a designer piece it is the kindest door in. Samples are released in rounds as the floor changes, so this is a page to keep an eye on.
Ask us what is on the floor right now, because samples are often claimed in the showroom before they ever reach the site, and we can tell you the sizes and the designers. The sample sale page carries the current details, and ready to ship gowns and ready-to-wear bridal are the other fast routes.
Bridal sample sales, answered
What is a bridal sample sale?
A sale of the gowns a boutique has used as try-on samples. They have been in and out of fitting rooms, so they go at a reduced price, as they are, with any marks disclosed. There is one of each, in one size, and no reordering. It is the gentlest way on the wallet to buy a designer gown, and the least flexible.
What size are sample gowns?
Whatever size the designer made the sample in, which for bridal is often a single mid-range size. That is the real limit of a sample sale rather than the condition. A skilled seamstress can usually take a gown in by a size or two and sometimes let it out a little, so ask about the seam allowance before you decide.
Are sample gowns damaged?
Usually not damaged, just worn in: a mark on a hem, a little dust, occasionally a replaced hook. We tell you what we can see and send photographs or measurements before you order, and most of it cleans away or disappears under alterations. Nothing is sold as new, and samples are final sale.
How do I know when new samples land?
Tell us your size and your date and we will come to you when the next round comes off the floor. Rounds follow the designers' collection calendars rather than a fixed schedule, and the good ones go quickly, so being on that list is worth more than refreshing the page.
When is the next sample sale in Los Angeles?
Ask us, because the dates follow the designers' calendars rather than ours, and samples are often gone from the floor at 145 Bay St in Santa Monica before they are ever listed online. Book a private fitting, check the trunk shows and events page, or read inside a bridal sample sale, and what to know before you shop.