Attention luxury fashionistas: Barneys New York goes digital. What do we mean? Barneys cancelled its in-store warehouse sale in Los Angeles and secretly launched an online warehouse sale on Thursday. (The New York warehouse sale will reportedly still take place in about three weeks.) The online designer sale was reportedly announced via email. The breaking news came as a surprise to most as Barneys only notified a select number of shoppers to have access to this first-ever online designer fashion sale extravaganza. So, what’s up with the secrecy? We suspect the discreet announcement was intended to build excitement, buzz and create viral gossip for their fashion-forward clientele to feel like they are in-the-know; Barneys clearly has succeeded.

Barnerys sent out personal emails about the “Shopping Preview” to select recipients and enticed women to share the news to gain access to the fashion portal. Women everywhere clicked “send” and forwarded the news to their designer-loving posse, now racing in virtual stilettos to participate and snag up luxury items for up to 75 percent off. Barneys is smart for bringing their sale event of their year to an online, national audience. Let’s just hope they don’t have any hang-ups like last Christmas when they had to delay shipment for over four days when online items oversold. This definitely marks a first in the designer warehouse sale history. The site is live and women can gain access to the discounted designer digs by imputing their email address. Ladies: ready, set, shop!