BAZAAR's Guide To Surviving The Club 21 Bazaar

Yes, it's that time of the year again: When Yohji is on 50% off and you can get a Lanvin dress from spring/summer 2013 at a mere $300. But let's get serious here—you're going to need a game plan the minute you step into the F1 Pit Building or you'll lose your way in sale limbo and emerge five hours later to the Apocalypse (we're kidding about the Apocalypse part, but the five hours? True story). So from what we've gathered from the first day of navigating the Club 21 Bazaar.

1) KNOW YOUR GEOGRAPHY

Any well-versed reader of Sun Tzu's Art of War knows that knowing the landscape is half the battle won. Similarly, you have to know your way around the Club 21 Bazaar to score the best buys ever.

Here's a quick rundown: When you enter the the Bazaar, the first area is dedicated to all the big brands under Club 21—this is your Balenciaga, Lanvin, Marni, etc—other lines located here are Club 21 Women and Club 21 Men.

The next section is where all the more "mass" brands are held—think: Marc by Marc Jacobs, DKNY, ck Calvin Klein, Armani Exchange, and more.

Now, the last section is where all the crazy goes down. Read: Small leather goods, shoes, bags and other sundry items.

2) HAVE A BATTLE PLAN

Now that you know the lay of the land, it's time to strategise. For the more seasoned (and discerning) shopper, you'll want to trawl through the racks of the first section where all the big brands are. Patience is virtue, and don't be afraid to really get in there and look because there are some hidden gems in there.

For first-timers, or those less inclined to go for big brands, here's a battle tip: Head to the third section (that's where all the shoes and SLGs lie) first if you want to scoop some serious swag for next to nothing. Then you can browse through the other sections at your leisure.

3) TRAVEL LIGHT

We're serious about this and cannot stress the importance of this rule. Bring a mini sling bag with just enough space to hold your essential cards, phone and/or cash. Which brings us to the next point...

4) CASH IS KING

If you don't want to spend three hours queuing in the credit card checkout line (again, a true story) as last-minute shopper's guilt hits the customers in front of you and waste your time watching them sift through their mountain of bags then remember this rule.

5) DON'T SECOND GUESS YOURSELF

Like I said, don't let the aforementioned shopper's guilt take its hit—just take what you want and breeze out. Almost everything is between 60% to 90% off anyway.

Happy shopping!

By Pakkee