The annual extravaganza designed to kick off Fashion Week and promote one of New York City’s important industries is Fashion’s Night Out. This year FNO offered chances to meet Kim Kardashian, introduce myself to Marquesa’s Georgina Chapmansay and say hello to Tracy Reese who designed the dress for Michelle Obama’s convention speech.
Alas I missed those events—you can’t be everywhere at once after all, and it was with regret that I skipped all the activitites in SoHo and the Meatpacking neighborhoods, opting to start at Saks and work my way uptown to 75th Street and Madison Avenue while sipping multiple glasses of complimentary champagne, nibbling popcorn, red bean cookies, gummy bears, cheese and crackers, Lindt chocolates and chocolate covered strawberries.
I brought home a batch of logo tote bags and a Dodo ribbon, and two weeks later I’m still wearing the little “xoxo” amulet they tied on my wrist at Alice and Olivia.
It baffles me that some stores chose this night of fashion “democracy” to turn away potential new shoppers by hosting private parties for invited-only customers. But aside from those selective “not invited” retailers, there were opportunities to ogle firefighter calendar models at Donna Karen, consult with a stylist at Ann Taylor and have a makeup session at Bergdorf Goodman.
