Consumer / Kirstin Cole

Bargain Hunters Paradise: Designer Duds Near You

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. (CBS) ― New York is full of designers, upscale showrooms and women who love to buy high-end fashion. But if you like the thrill of bargain hunting with designer duds as the prize, CBS 2's Kirstin Cole has the event for you.

You've seen the unbridled enthusiasm of bargain hunting, and soon a Long Island City warehouse will be transformed into a similar scene. From these piles and piles of bags, emerge couture treasures like wedding dresses, fur coats, designer bags and more.

"Oh my gosh, a burberry trench? That's a huge steal," said an unidentified shopper.

Finds like these will all be going for $30 a bag at Housing Works warehouse sale. Pre-sorted and guaranteed designer duds are stuffed into each bag, or for true die hard bargain hunters, you can dig through the racks and fill your own bag for $20.

You get 5 pairs of jeans for $40, when anyone of them could retail for $200.

The only catch?

They might require a bit of attention. They probably need to be washed, maybe a new zipper or perhaps some minor hemming.

Housing Works gets millions of pounds of donated clothing. That which doesn't make it to their stores or warehouse sale gets donated away to other groups, so nothing goes to waste.

The sale hasn't happened in months, but a gloomy economy has brought it back. Sale hours are from 10 to 4 every other Saturday, but any good insider knows, people line up usually a few hours before the doors open.

So get ready to hand out with a few of your favorite friends; Prada, Gucci, Michael, Calvin, and so many more.

All the proceeds from Housing Works stores and warehouse sales go to programs benefiting people living with HIV and AIDS.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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