Dress Like a VIP Without Mortgaging Your House

If you are into couture, a store in West Los Angeles makes the drive over the hill more than worthwhile. The Azita Group carries leftovers consisting of overruns, overcuts, end-of-season and mismatched pieces from the couture line of a major Italian designer and sells them at about 70% off retail.

But first check out the accessories at the front counter.

A dazzling butterfly pin that retailed for $1,100 was $250. A leather zip wallet was $45, down from $210. A pair of pumps was $140, down from $580 and another pair that retails for $280 was marked $80. The prices on sunglasses reflected a 50% to 60% reduction.

But let’s get to the clothes, from a designer whose suits were made famous by Richard Gere in “American Gigolo� and are favored by former Lakers coach Pat Riley. For men, a black wool crepe suit with a tag that reads $2,400 was a steal at $450. Cotton shirts that sell here for $35 to $75 command a retail of $150 to $300. The sizes for men run from 38 to 48 in both American and Italian sizing.

For women’s apparel, it’s a field day as well. Suits that run $2,700 are marked $550, and the price is $620 for those that retail for $3,200. A pair of sensational multicolored silk slacks at $250 are tempting, considering they’re in this designer’s catalog for $1,375.

Sizes for women go from 2 to 16.

The Azita Group, 2388 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 478-1593. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Weekend Supersale: The annual sale at the Doll House Lady provides an opportunity to start the hobby of collecting dollhouses and miniatures. The sale started Thursday and runs through March 10, with 20% to 50% off houses and 30% off furnishings. If you’re a neophyte in the world of miniatures, experts are on hand to help you get started.

The Doll House Lady, 8964 Huntington Drive, San Gabriel. (626) 793-7433.