Sample sales are key to being bougie on a budget in L.A. [Video]

High-end fashion catches the eye by design. Especially in Los Angeles. It’s baked into the landscape — far beyond Rodeo Drive. In recent years, more and more people are sporting high fashion labels – without hurting their wallets.

And they aren’t knockoffs, either. They’re the real deal.

Authenticity and affordability — all at the sample sale.

“A sample sale is when a designer or a brand sells all of their samples from their manufacturer or factory. They get an influx of samples all the time because they have to make sure the item is perfect,” said Taylor Monet, a frequenter of sample sales who works in the fashion industry.

Since samples are produced to work out the kinks in the manufacturing process, they can’t be sold for full price. However, the imperfections with each item tend to be minor most of the time. Sample sales allow companies to clear their stock and still turn a profit on these …