The Fashion Statement: Fashion's Night Out

by Kristin Young (RSS feed)
Aug 26th 2010 at 9:00AM

The fashion world is buzzing about September 10. That's when people like Vogue chief Anna Wintour, Donna Karan, New York City Mayor Bloomberg and members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America will hang out with mere mortals like you and me at stores and boutiques in NYC.

The point? Shopping. And it's a boost to retailers, fashion designers and ultimately the whole fashion industry that has been pummeled of late.

This year's extravaganza is apparently bigger than last year's. On a geographical scale, it certainly is, with events planned for stores in Los Angeles, Paris, Milan and London. Okay, you expect those cities. But Fashion's Night Out is also popping up in unexpected destinations around the globe. Jamaica? China? India? Apparently so.

Aside from shopping, or at least window shopping, Fashion's Night Out is chance for non-fashion industry people to get a glimpse of what a real invitation-only fashion industry party is like. Doesn't hurt that September 10 is the start of New York fashion week, so everybody will be in town. And, this year, there will be cameras around filming for a CBS Special.

Last year, Bergdorf Goodman was a madhouse. Victoria Beckham and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were there, along with designers Georgina Chapman, Mark Badgley and James Mischka and Zac Posen. Charlize Theron showed up at Dior, Kate Hudson at Stella McCartney.

In the meatpacking district this year, stores are doing all sorts of interesting things to lure shoppers. Alexander McQueen will be selling a double wrap snakeskin skull bracelet in limited edition colors for one night only. There will also a be a raffle for the union jack clutch. Calypso St. Barth is screening a Fall 2010 short film entitled L'histoire D'amour, starring Alicia Rountree. Shoppers can also sip champagne and dance to tunes by Scratch DJ.

And the events get even stranger. The New York Times reports that Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen and the Proenza Schouler designers will be judging karaoke at Barneys New York. Thakoon, Georgina Chapman and Reem Acra will model with their dogs at Bergdorf Goodman. And, bizarrely, there are designer table-tennis games planned, with matches slated for Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Stuart Weitzman.

The spectacle seems to drown out business being done. And, according to event producers, that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, hype is not exactly quantifiable in terms of future sales.

Official hours at boutiques on Sept. 10 are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. To see what's going on in your city, go to http://www.fashionsnightout.com.

Tags: alexander mcqueen, barneys new york, Bergdorf Goodman, calpso st. barth, Dior, Donna Karan, Fashions night out, NYC Mayor Bloomberg, Stella McCartney, stuart weitzman, Vogue