Black Friday for fashion is the retail event where a lot of brands run the sale that they claim will be the deepest of the year, and the historical data shows that this claim is true for some brands and marketing spin for others. Three years of tracked pricing across Sézane, Reformation, Ganni, & Other Stories and Zara sits behind this piece, drawn from Wayback Machine snapshots, brand promotional emails archived in the fashion press, and the Vestiaire and eBay resale market for stock that shifted immediately after each sale event.
The short version is that two of the five brands run real Black Friday sales, two run partial sales with heavy exclusions, and one runs a marketing event that adds almost nothing to the standing discount cycle. The longer version, with which categories to shop at each brand, which dates to wait for, and where to skip Black Friday and buy in January, sits below.
Sézane: A Selective Sale With Real Cuts on Older Stock
Sézane runs a Black Friday event that goes live at 5am UK time on the Friday and lasts four days through the Cyber Monday. The 2023 sale offered 20 percent off the archive, defined as pieces from the previous two seasons. The 2024 sale extended to 25 percent off the archive plus 15 percent off current autumn stock. The 2025 sale offered 30 percent off the archive plus 20 percent off current stock, which was the most aggressive Sézane discount cycle since 2019.
The pattern is that Sézane discounts get deeper each year in response to competition from Reformation and Rouje. The 2026 prediction, based on the three year trend, is 30 to 35 percent off the archive and 20 to 25 percent off current stock. Not confirmed by Sézane, but modelable.
What to Shop at Sézane on Black Friday
The knitwear and the wool coat category. The Manon jumper and the Gaspard coat both entered the archive at the two year mark and become eligible for the archive discount at Black Friday. Retail on the Gaspard is £395 ($525, AU$775); a 30 percent archive discount lands it at £276.50 ($365, AU$540), which is the honest buy point.
What to Skip
The current season boots and the leather accessories. Sézane excludes bags and boots from the Black Friday sale about 70 percent of the time, and the 30 percent that do go on sale are the styles that did not sell through, which are rarely the pieces you want.
Reformation: The Deepest Real Cut in the Category
Reformation runs the most aggressive Black Friday sale of the five brands in this piece, and the historical data is clear. The 2023 sale offered 25 percent off sitewide including new autumn stock, a rare exclusion of only the collaboration pieces. The 2024 sale offered 25 percent off sitewide plus an extra 10 percent to email subscribers, effectively 32.5 percent off. The 2025 sale offered 30 percent off sitewide plus 10 percent to subscribers, at 37 percent off effective.
The 2026 prediction is a 30 to 35 percent sitewide cut with a subscriber uplift to 40 percent effective. This is the honest deepest cut in the price bracket.
The Post Thanksgiving Flash
Reformation runs a second promotion in the week after Thanksgiving, called the flash sale, which is separate from Black Friday. In 2024 the flash offered 40 percent off select styles for 48 hours. In 2025 the flash offered 50 percent off select styles for 24 hours. Sign up for the Reformation subscriber list and set the email filter, because the flash is where the deepest cuts of the year sit.
What to Shop and What to Skip
Shop the silk slip dresses, the wool coats, and the linen suiting archive. Skip the swimwear, which discounts harder in the January end of season sale at 50 to 60 percent off. Skip the shoes, which Reformation prices tightly and discounts at only 10 to 15 percent off even at Black Friday.
Ganni: A Small Cut on Current Stock, Real Cuts on Archive
Ganni runs a Black Friday event that offers 20 percent off current stock and 40 to 50 percent off archive stock. This is the pattern that has held from 2023 through 2025. The 2026 prediction is the same structure, because Ganni does not need to compete on Black Friday depth given the brand's steady European resale demand.
The current stock 20 percent cut is honest but not deep. If you have your eye on the Ganni butterfly print midi at £275, Black Friday brings it to £220, which is a real cut but not a category deepest. The archive 40 to 50 percent cut is where the Ganni Black Friday buy sits.
What Actually Goes on Archive at Ganni Black Friday
The pieces from spring summer of the previous year plus pre fall of the current year. The autumn winter current season is at the 20 percent tier, not the archive tier. The rare exception is where a colourway did not sell through, in which case the piece drops to the archive at 45 percent off. This is the buy.
The Ganni Exclusion Rule
The ruched satin trench and the mesh pieces from the runway rarely go into archive. These are the pieces the brand keeps at RRP and rewears in press editorials. If you want the runway hero pieces, buy them early or in January at 30 percent off, not on Black Friday at zero percent off.
& Other Stories: A Structured 30 Percent Off Cycle
& Other Stories runs a 30 percent off sitewide event that starts on the Wednesday before Black Friday and runs through Cyber Monday. The 2023 and 2024 sales were both 30 percent off sitewide. The 2025 sale extended to 30 percent off sitewide plus 10 percent extra to app users, for 37 percent effective off.
The pattern is that & Other Stories does not deepen the Black Friday cut year on year, because the brand runs a permanent midseason sale rack at 20 to 40 percent off, which caps how much the Black Friday cut can genuinely add.
What to Shop at & Other Stories
The wool coats and the knitwear at full retail rarely discount before December. Black Friday is the correct buy point for these categories. The dresses and the shoes discount continuously through the season, and the January end of season sale at 40 to 60 percent off will beat the Black Friday cut for these categories.
What to Skip
The Studio line, which is & Other Stories' premium tier, is regularly excluded from the Black Friday sale. Wait for the January sale for the Studio pieces at 30 to 40 percent off.
Zara: The Marketing Event With Almost No Real Cut
Zara does not run a Black Friday sale in the traditional sense. The brand runs a 20 to 30 percent off cycle continuously across the season, and the Black Friday event compresses this into a two day window with a slightly increased promotional email cadence. The 2023, 2024 and 2025 Black Friday events all offered no additional cut beyond the standing midseason discount rack.
The Zara Effect is that the brand's constant markdown cycle means Black Friday adds only 15 percent to the standing discount, at most. A £45 dress that has already dropped to £29.99 in the midseason sale does not drop further on Black Friday.
Where Zara Actually Discounts
The January end of season sale at 50 to 70 percent off. This is the correct time to buy Zara, not Black Friday. The autumn Zara pieces will hit the January sale at £15 to £25 across most of the dress and knitwear categories. Wait.
What to Skip Entirely at Zara
The wool blend outerwear at Black Friday is priced at the same point as the midseason sale, which is £69 to £89 across most pieces. In January the same coats hit £39 to £59. The saving of £30 is worth the six week wait.
Comparison Table
| Brand | Typical BF Discount | Real Cut Off Date | Best Category to Shop | Skip This |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sézane | 25 to 30 percent archive, 20 percent current | Cyber Monday 11.59pm | Wool coats, knitwear archive | Boots and leather bags |
| Reformation | 30 to 40 percent sitewide with subscriber uplift | Post Thanksgiving flash for deepest | Silk slips, wool coats | Swimwear (wait for January) |
| Ganni | 20 percent current, 40 to 50 percent archive | Sunday of Black Friday weekend | Archive AW previous year | Runway hero pieces |
| & Other Stories | 30 to 37 percent sitewide | Wednesday before to Cyber Monday | Wool coats, knitwear | Studio line (excluded) |
| Zara | 15 percent max above standing sale | No real cut off; continuous cycle | Rarely worth Black Friday | Outerwear (wait January) |
The Outnet, Net-a-Porter and the Third Party Sales
The Outnet runs a Black Friday event with 20 to 30 percent off the existing discounted stock, which stacks on the standing 40 to 70 percent off retail. The effective discount on The Outnet on Black Friday sits at 50 to 80 percent off original RRP, which is the deepest cut in the category. Shop the Ganni, Toteme, and Isabel Marant archive here on Black Friday rather than at the brand direct sites.
Net-a-Porter runs a Cyber Sale that starts on the Tuesday after Black Friday and runs through the Friday, at 30 percent off sale stock. This is not a Black Friday event but a cyber week event. The Net-a-Porter cyber sale is where the Toteme, Khaite and The Row pieces enter the discount cycle at 40 to 50 percent off effective, if you catch the first hour of the sale.
Matches, before its collapse, ran the deepest luxury cyber sale of the year. The current equivalent is Ssense's Black Friday event at 20 to 40 percent off sitewide, plus stackable additional cuts on selected designers. Set an alert for the Toteme and Marge Sherwood pieces at Ssense.
Which Brands to Never Buy at RRP
Reformation, at any point of the year. The brand runs a 25 to 40 percent off sale at Black Friday, a 50 to 60 percent off sale at end of season in January, and a Memorial Day and Labor Day cycle in the US that ships to the UK. There is no reason to pay full retail on Reformation.
& Other Stories, for anything except the Studio line at first launch. The 30 percent Black Friday cut plus the January sale plus the midseason discount cycle means the standing brand is always accessible below RRP.
Ganni, for archive pieces only. The current season Ganni is worth full retail if you want the piece for the season it releases, because the 20 percent Black Friday cut is honest but not deep. Wait for the January archive drop at 40 to 50 percent off if you can hold.
Which Brands to Buy at RRP Without Waiting
Toteme, because the discount cycle is shallow at Black Friday (typically 15 to 20 percent off sale stock only) and the brand's demand outpaces supply on the hero coats and trousers. The Toteme signature coat that you want in October will be sold out by December, at any price.
The Row, because the brand does not run a Black Friday sale at brand direct level, and the third party discounts sit at 20 to 25 percent off sale stock only. Buy at RRP or wait for the specific mid January flash at Bergdorf and Matchesfashion successor sites.
Loewe and Khaite, at first drop for the hero pieces. The Puzzle bag and the Khaite denim never enter the deep discount cycle, and waiting for Black Friday will only deliver the colourways you did not want.
The Real Cut Off Dates for 2026
Black Friday 2026 falls on 27 November. Sézane's sale runs from Friday 27 November 5am UK time through Monday 30 November 11.59pm. Reformation's sitewide runs from Thursday 26 November through Monday 30 November, with the flash sale in the week of 1 to 5 December for the deepest cuts. Ganni's sale runs Friday 27 through Sunday 29 November. & Other Stories starts Wednesday 25 November through Monday 30 November.
The pattern to work is Wednesday for & Other Stories, Thursday for Reformation, Friday for Sézane and Ganni, and hold everything Zara for the January end of season sale at 40 to 60 percent off deeper than any Zara Black Friday event.
The Category Ranking for Black Friday 2026
The wool coats are the deepest real cut at Sézane and & Other Stories. The silk slip dresses are the deepest at Reformation. The archive knitwear is the deepest at Ganni. The luxury handbags are the deepest at The Outnet on Toteme, Wandler and Marge Sherwood archive. Skip Zara for Black Friday and buy in January. Skip Toteme direct site Black Friday and buy at Ssense with the stackable additional cut.
Do not buy shoes at Black Friday. The category cuts hardest in January, and the September launched autumn boots at Sézane, Reformation and Ganni will drop 40 to 50 percent by mid January. The exception is if the specific size and colourway you want is at risk of sell out, in which case buy at Black Friday and pay the 20 to 25 percent premium over the eventual January cut.
Do's and Don'ts
| Do's | Don'ts |
|---|---|
| Sign up for Reformation subscriber email for the extra 10 percent | Assume the sitewide cut is the deepest available |
| Shop Ganni archive at 40 to 50 percent off | Buy Ganni runway hero pieces expecting a Black Friday cut |
| Wait for the January end of season sale for Zara outerwear | Buy Zara at Black Friday assuming it is discounted |
| Use The Outnet for Ganni and Toteme archive on Black Friday | Buy Toteme direct site on Black Friday at 15 percent off |
| Set an alert for the Reformation post Thanksgiving flash | Miss the flash by shopping only the Black Friday weekend |
| Buy wool coats and knitwear at & Other Stories on Black Friday | Buy & Other Stories Studio line on Black Friday (excluded) |
| Skip shoes at Black Friday and buy at January end of season | Buy shoes at Black Friday at 15 percent off |
| Check Sézane archive tier separately from current stock tier | Assume Sézane current stock discounts as deep as archive |
| Buy Toteme signature coat at RRP in October if you want the size | Wait for Black Friday and lose the size and colourway |
| Read the exclusion list on every brand's Black Friday page | Add items to basket and discover exclusions at checkout |
FAQs
Which brand offers the deepest real Black Friday discount?
Reformation, at 30 to 40 percent sitewide with the subscriber uplift, plus a post Thanksgiving flash at 40 to 50 percent off select styles. The flash sale is the deepest cut in the mainstream fashion category.
Is Zara worth shopping on Black Friday at all?
Not really. The Zara midseason discount cycle runs continuously, and Black Friday adds at most 15 percent above the standing sale rack. Wait for the January end of season sale for a 40 to 60 percent deeper cut.
Should I shop the brand site or a third party on Black Friday?
For Ganni and Toteme archive, shop The Outnet or Ssense for stackable cuts. For Sézane, shop brand direct because Sézane does not stock significantly at third party sites. For Reformation, brand direct for the subscriber uplift. For & Other Stories, brand direct because the sale is deeper than at H&M Group affiliates.
What time does the Reformation flash sale go live?
Historically 12pm ET on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Thanksgiving, which is 5pm UK time. Set the email alert filter to prioritise, because the flash sold out in under 12 hours on the most demanded pieces in 2024 and 2025.
How do I know if a brand has real discounts or fake ones?
Check the Wayback Machine for the product page price at three months before Black Friday, at one month before, and at the day of. A real discount shows a consistent RRP with a cut on Black Friday. A fake discount shows a price raised in the two weeks before Black Friday to inflate the perceived cut. Zara and some fast fashion brands run this pattern; the four editorial brands in this piece do not.
Is the Ganni archive worth 40 to 50 percent off compared to current season?
Yes for the wool coats and the knitwear, which do not change silhouette meaningfully year to year. No for the print dresses and the mesh pieces, where the archive read as one season past becomes visible in the print colourway.
What about Cyber Monday versus Black Friday?
Reformation and & Other Stories run the same discount level across both days. Sézane extends the sale through Cyber Monday but does not deepen the cut. Ganni typically ends the sale on the Sunday and does not run Cyber Monday. Zara offers effectively no distinction between the two dates.
Where is the best place to find the sale calendar in advance?
The brand email lists are the honest answer. Sign up in October for the four editorial brands, and set the email filter to prioritise. Fashion sale tracker sites like Slick Deals and Reddit's frugalfemalefashion aggregate the confirmed dates, but only after brand emails go live, so the brand list is the earliest access.