Fashion's Night Out

Everyone says New York is the city that doesn't sleep. If that's the case, today's agenda does not include a nap! It's all about fashion today in the big apple. And I couldn't be more excited. Fashion's Night Out is the kick-off of New York Fashion Week and hopefully will bring a much needed boost to the fashion industry, as well as make a sizable contribution to the September 11th fund and other international charities and philanthropies.

Here's a rundown of the hot spots:

DIOR HOMME
(at Barneys) 660 Madison Avenue (at Sixtieth Street) Third Floor
New York, NY 10065

Kris Van Assche, artistic director for Dior Homme, will make a personal appearance on the 3rd floor of Barneys from 8-9PM for Fashion's Night Out. Please stop by for a meet and greet and a glass of champagne with Kris. The newest mens ready to wear and sneakers from Dior Homme will also be available specially for that evening.

BLOOMINGDALE'S

1000 Third Avenue (between Fifty-ninth Street and Sixtieth Street)

New York, NY 10022

(212) 705-2000

There's a ton of events happening at Bloomie's - but all you need to know is that Gwen Stefani will be in the store around 7 PM this evening. The first 30 people who buy US$150 or more of her luxe L.A.M.B. collection will have their goods signed by Gwen herself!

3.1 PHILLIP LIM
115 Mercer Street (between Prince Street and Spring Street)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 334-1160

3.1 phillip lim is marking the occasion by bringing out on Fashion’s Night Out, five signature styles from the past archives and refabricating and updating them for the current fall season. There will be a limited-size run of these five signature styles, which will remain a mystery until the night. Fall in love again with your favorite 3.1 pieces. This limited-edition collection will be revealed and sold only on Fashion’s Night Out between 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. at all 3.1 phillip lim stores in New York, L.A., and Tokyo. Phillip Lim himself will make an appearance that night at the SoHo store, and special guest friends will be on hand to lend personal styling tips over tunes and libations.

ARMANI / 5TH AVENUE
717 Fifth Avenue (at Fifty-sixth Street)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 339-5950

Experience the luxury of the world of Armani at Armani / 5th Avenue withextended shopping hours. Receive a complimentary glass of Prosecco whileshopping the Fall Winter 2009 Collection.

BALENCIAGA
542 West Twenty-second Street (between Tenth Avenue and Eleventh Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 206-0872

Stop by the store for a martini. Spend $2500 and receive a pair of Edition sunglasses to take home!

BARNEYS NEW YORK
660 Madison Avenue (between Sixtieth Street and Sixty-first Street)
New York, NY 10065
(212) 826-8900

On September 10, Barneys New York at Madison and Sixty-first will be transformed into a street fair of designer personal appearances and creative events. Customers will have the opportunity to shop and mingle with Isabel Toledo, Marcus and David from Rag & Bone, Narciso Rodriguez, Amanda Brooks, Waris, Thom Browne, Jonathan Adler, Lisa Perry, Alexander Wang, the Row’s Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and many more. In addition to the personal appearances, Barneys will stage a roster of happenings. Wool and the Gang will teach knitting; Lipstick Queen Poppy King will offer “lip readings”; Vogue editor Tonne Goodman will curate a fashion green market; Gianluca Isaia will offer Neapolitan delicacies; Adam Kimmel will show a Gerard Malanga video installation; Loomstate will customize T-shirts; Leonid Khankin will host an Ernst Benz watch trunk show; Alabama Chanin will host a sewing circle; Juan Carlos Obando will give salsa lessons. And there’s more. . . . Complete schedule at Barneys.com. TASTE LUXURY HUMOR.

BERGDORF GOODMAN
754 Fifth Avenue (at Fifty-eighth Street)
York, NY 10019
(212) 753-7300

Zac Posen paints one-of-a-kind creations in the Fifth Avenue windows. 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Padma Lakshmi, host of Bravo's Top Chef, judges a designer cook-off with Cynthia Rowley, Edward Bess, Gilles Mendel, Lela Rose, Naeem Khan and Peter Som. 6:00 - 7:00 PM. Alexander Wang presents his t-shirts benefitting the September 11 Memorial. 6:00 - 7:00 PM. Guest bartenders Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen mix up the season's tastiest libations. 7:00 - 8:00 PM. An exhibition of photographs from the book EXTREME BEAUTY IN VOGUE, with special guests curator Phyllis Posnick, Dr. Patricia Wexler, Daria Werbowy and Caroline Trentini. 7:00 - 8:00. André Leon Talley hosts a life-sized version of the new game Fashion Rules!™, with teams led by Donna Karan, Linda Fargo and Robert Verdi. 8:00 - 9:00 PM A conversation with Isaac Mizrahi and tunes by the Ben Waltzer Trio. 9:00 PM. Plus Roopal Patel and Troy Surratt present the Roopal Patel Palette from Le Metier de Beaute. Carlos Falchi presents his exclusive FNO graffiti tote. Designers including Manolo Blahnik, Narciso Rodriguez, Victoria Beckham, and many others will stop by to sign Fashion's Night Out t-shirts. Music by d.j.s Andrew Andrew, Johnny Dynell and Jon Jon Battle.

CATHERINE MALANDRINO
652 Hudson Street (at West Thirteenth Street)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 929-8710

In her New York Meatpacking District boutique, Catherine Malandrino herself will host a street fair themed, “Paris meets New York Marché”. On September 10th from 6:00 to 10:00pm shoppers will be invited to visit the Catherine Malandrino Meatpacking District boutique for a night of entertainment in the store and on the street including live models and performers in the boutique windows, French music with Parisian DJ’s Les Woof Gang, delicious French cocktails by Cointreau, and a street fair with wares presented by typically French companies Marie Belle for delectable chocolates, Selima Optique for eyewear and one of a kind hats, Caudalie beauty essentials, and Carita “Haute Beaute Cheveu” collection. Guests can even have a taste of Paris at the Tripie Crepe cart! The festivities will continue with a special performance by French cabaret Les Nubians at 10pm.

DOLCE & GABBANA
825 Madison Avenue (between Sixty-eighth Street and Sixty-ninth Street)
New York, NY 10065
(212) 249-4100

ENJOY AN EVENING OF COCKTAILS IN CELEBRATION OF FASHION AND THE FALL 2009 COLLECTION.

GUCCI
725 Fifth Avenue (at Fifty-sixth Street)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 826-2600

Gucci is pleased to support Fashion’s Night Out in New York. The Gucci Fifth Avenue Flagship and Madison Avenue stores will host in-store events from 6 to 11 p.m., serving cocktails and Gucci chocolates. All guests who attend the Gucci events will receive a limited-edition Fashion’s Night Out T-shirt, while supplies last. In honor of this initiative, Gucci will make a special donation to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

HENRI BENDEL
712 Fifth Avenue (between West Fifty-fifth Street and West Fifty-sixth Street)
New York, NY 10109
(800) 423-6335

Henri Bendel will kick off their “I’d Rather Wear Accessories” campaign at a Fashion’s Night Out event. Gossip Girl costume designer Eric Daman will be styling the “I’d Rather Wear Accessories” photo shoot, where customers will be photographed wearing their favorite accessories and will have a chance to win the accessory of their choice in a sweepstakes as well as amazing raffle items. “The New and the Next Gallery,” a highly curated shopping experience featuring accessories designers and beauty brands that were discovered by the iconic retailer, as well as rising stars, will be installed in the Fifth Avenue flagship. Designers Badgley Mischka, presenting their jewelry collection; emerging jewelry designer Rodrigo Otazu; and beauty guru Trish McEvoy will be on hand to meet customers. Many of the designers will create one-of-a-kind pieces that will be auctioned to benefit the 9/11 Fund. Model and artist Sasha Pivovarova will be exhibiting her own work for “The New and the Next Gallery.”

VERSACE
647 Fifth Avenue (between Fifty-first Street and Fifty-second Street)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 317-0224

Musical artist Ciara, Leigh Lezark of The Misshapes, nightlife doyen Amy Sacco, Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo, actress Taylor Momsen and supermodels Chanel Iman, Jessica Joffe and Hana Soukupova (to name a few) impart their signature fashion style on the Fall 2009 Versace Collection by creating personalized looks for the models to wear throughout the evening. View these looks on live models while sipping Double Cross Vodka martinis and listening to internationally known DJs, The Misshapes. Mingle amongst the hippest and hottest VIPS for an evening that should not be missed.

TAKASHIMAYA
693 Fifth Avenue (at Fifty-seventh Street)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 350-0100

Enjoy a festive spectrum of entertainment and designer appearances throughout the store. View a Japanese exhibition of fashions and artwork on Center Stage, main floor, as you sip wine and savor hors d’oeuvres. Sake tasting and snack on sushi on the third floor. Stop by the fifth floor for the Lingerie Diet Champagne event and meet founder Margaret Shrum, along with models in the season’s new luxurious sleepwear. Receive a $25 gift certificate when you spend $100, a $50 certificate for purchases totaling $250 and up. Enter our storewide sweepstakes to win a fabulous prize - all you need is your business card to enter.

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
611 Fifth Avenue (between Forty-ninth and fiftieth Streets)
New York, NY 10022
212-753-4000

Saks Fifth Avenue is excited to participate in the first ever "Fashion’s Night Out." HIGHLIGHTS: Saks will transform its New York Flagship into the evening’s hottest spot, complete with a red carpet and stantions leading the way to the store’s entrances on Fifth Avenue. Many of Saks’s celebrated designers will make personal appearances that evening including Donna Karan— who will inaugurate her new in store shop at 5 p.m. as a kick-off to the evening— Carolina Hererra, Elie Tahari Giuseppe Zanotti, Josie Natori, Peter Som, Ralph Rucci, Geren Ford, Shoshanna Gruss, Kay Unger, the designers of jewelry line Faraone Mennella and many more. The biggest names in beauty such as Aerin Lauder, Bobbi Brown and Fredrick Fekkai will also visit Saks, along with world renowned makeup and beauty artists representing the foremost beauty brands. Customers can look forward to over 1,000 cosmetic giveaways.

ROBERTO CAVALLI
711 Madison Avenue (at East Sixty-third Street)
New York, NY 10065
(212) 755-7722

Roberto Cavalli has chosen to celebrate his boutique’s ten-year anniversary with Fashion’s Night Out. The designer will personally host the evening, which will feature ten fabulous archival gowns from ten years in New York. Guests will enjoy signature cocktails inspired by the gowns.

PRADA
724 Fifth Avenue (between West Fifty-sixth Street and West Fifty-seventh Street)
New York, NY 10019(
212) 664-0010

The legendary Creative Director of Vogue, Grace Coddington, will recreate her magical Little Red Riding Hood story from the September issue of Vogue in the Prada 5th Avenue store. Prada has produced a limited edition red basket bag for the night, a red cape and a red coat sold exclusively on Fashion's Night Out in honour of Grace's project. Fashion Night Out t-shirts will be given to every customer on the night. Come and join Grace and the Prada team for a night of fun and shopping!

MISSONI
1009 Madison Avenue (at Seventy-eighth Street)
New York, NY 10075
(212) 517-9339

Margherita Maccapani Missoni is making a special appearance to New York to celebrate Fashion's Night Out. The brand ambassador will host a cocktail party at the Missoni boutique and offer guests her style tips on creating their own personalized Missoni tote bags. Proceeds from the sale of these limited edition tote bags and along with the FNO t-shirts will go to National September 11th Memorial & Museum.

You know one of my favourite looks is the "hi-lo" - where you mix and match different pieces from different designers and definitely different price points. For example, you might pair a vintage inspired leather motorcycle jacket from John Varvatos with an amazingly soft, airy v-neck tshirt from Martin + Osa, with some distressed denim from Guess, with your favourite suede boots.

But, Martin + Osa takes the "hi-lo" to an entirely new level, giving you the highest quality, design, and style with the lowest pricepoint. There are few and far between who can give such an amazing design aesthetic while still being mindfull of your wallet.

Be sure to visit Martin + Osa's popup shop at 59th and 5th for one day only - TODAY. And whether or not you're in NYC, shop your local M+O store or click through the website and take advantage of ALL CASHMERE for US$79. (and when you use my special promotional code 99400044, you'll save an additional 30% off your purchase until 20 September).

No matter where you live - make tonight your Fashion Night Out. Start your holiday shopping early. Treat yourself. Buy something! Anything! (just don't be tacky and return it all later)