Ritzy Shop Site Leads A Sample Life

I have heard about this "club" and saw this article in the NY Post today - what do you think?

A city-based Web site hosting sample sales by designers like Zac Posen and diamond jeweler Kwiat will officially launch Tuesday with a high-end sale of Hollywould shoes - too bad you can't buy a pair.

"Everyone feels special when they're in an organization that's members only," said Alexandra Wilson, co-founder of Gilt Groupe and former retail operations manager at Bulgari.

Gilt is the Soho House of sample sales. If you're not signed up, you cannot attend. And it takes a friend or a friend of a friend to get you on the list.

Wilson co-founded the site with Alexis Maybeck, who she met in a Portuguese class while they were at Harvard.

Since November, Gilt.com has hosted 12 sales for more than 100,000 members. Membership is free, if you can get invited.

Claire Sulmers, a blogger for fashionbomb.com, who became a member through a Harvard friend, dislikes the elitism.

"It defies the whole point of a sample sale. They exist so people who can't afford Barneys and Saks can buy nice clothes. This whole members-only thing excludes the poor guy or girl who still wants to dress well," she said.