Summer is a season of indulgences: afternoons at the beach, fruity cocktails, rooftop shindigs. Our very favorite, though, might be the SSENSE sale. It doesn’t hit quite the same as kicking back with a frozen marg at an oceanside Airbnb, but we’re not here to compare apples and oranges; you can do that any time of year. The SSENSE sale, though, is a strictly bi-annual event—and when the weather is steamier than a sauna, shopping from the comfort of an air-conditioned apartment is the best way to relax.
For those of you following along at home, the SSENSE sale has been going on for months. But the real sickos (…us) have long since realized that the biggest discounts don’t hit shelves until the sale has had time to simmer. As the season progresses, those designer price tags boil down even further until it’s time to feast. Fellas, that time is now: As of this week, the SSENSE sale has officially hit discounts of up to 70% off, likely the deepest they’ll go this season.
To help you sort the wheat from the chaff, the GQ Recommends squad cherry-picked the best of what the sale has to offer, including summer wedding-ready suits, unimpeachable kicks, and one gleaming handbag ready-made to land you a second date.
7 Instant-Cops From SSENSE’s Blowout Sale
Gerald Ortiz, Style Commerce Writer
The blistering forecast doesn’t seem to be letting up, but that isn’t stopping me from thinking about fall. In fact, I’m thoroughly over the oppressive heat—and feeling gross and sticky. Bring on the cooler temps, the autumnal color palette, and the layers. If you can’t wrap your head around that, think of it as a value proposition: the biggest discounts tend to go to the off-season items.
Avidan Grossman, Senior Commerce Editor
The funny thing about the SSENSE sale is that it’s a bit of a shitshow. Here’s how I navigate it: scroll by brand, not product category. That, of course, is how you manage to snag the last Auralee blazer in your size (with apologies to my dear colleague Yang—see below), or just a muscle tee-adjacent sweater vest from Spencer Phipps, the buffest, best-dressed designer on the ‘gram.
Tyler Chin, Associate Commerce Editor
When the SSENSE sale hits the up-to-70%-off portion of its run, I come a-shopping. I usually open up a tab for each of my favorite brands, and that’s exactly what I’m doing this go around. Obviously, I need another slutty mesh polo from the good folks at Beams Plus, and then I’ll need to re-up on workout gear from one of my favorite running brands, too. Everything else is the cherry on top of a (very expensive) checkout cart.
Yang-Yi Goh, Style Editor
Just a cute lil’ fit for a late summer date night. (Editor’s note: Please heed his advice.)