Fashion’s Night Out is the one night a year when clothing stores, from high end couturiers like Chanel to bargain stores like Forever 21 stay open late in celebration of the fashion industry. Held in major cities around the world, the night invites stores to host events, offer special deals, and generally invite the masses to share in a love of fashion.
I have been lucky enough to enjoy FNO events in New York for the past two years. When I found out that the night would be on hiatus in the United States this year, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Paris would be among the cities continuing on the tradition.
However, the fashion gods disappointed me in many ways.
First of all, all of Paris’ events were held on the same street: Rue St. Honoré. This was much more convenient than New York, where stores are spread all over the boroughs but also much less exciting. In my research of where to go (as I had learned to do ahead of time after being so overwhelmed with New York’s plethora of action) I read that most events were private. In other words you had to be on “the list.” I have never been on “the list” of anything in my life so I knew those stores were out of the question. After translating summaries from French, I found only one boutique that listed in the description as open to all. So it was on to Colette we went!
I had to work until 8PM, so I asked my friends to secure me the FNO t-shirt, which came in the September Parisian edition of Vogue, knowing it might be the only thing I got out of the experience. Indeed, I was correct.
My friend Cali obtained the very last two, which she and my friend Imani graciously agreed to give to third friend Victoria and I.
It definitely made my night.
I arrived around 9PM from work to find Cali and Imani in line to have their photo taken by a famous photographer. It was too late to join the line and sneaking in next to them would have been frowned upon.
Imani, being all fierce in line
Cali’s waiting in line close up
So Victoria and I, the latecomers, walked the sole FNO street to investigate.
Fashionistas roamed the street
There was a magical cotton candy machine with a crazy, free for all “line”
This was the part where I pretended to take pictures of Victoria, trying to get sneaky pictures of people. It didn’t work that well.
New friends!
(Just kidding I only took their picture…)
Chloé models? Maybe…
So Parisian.
Fashion was in the air
At the end of the night, there was a fashion parade…or something? So that was…a thing that happened
We met back up with Imani and Cali, who showed us their photograph:
Pretty dang cool if you ask me!
So, all in all, the four of us each got a keepsake from the night, but it was nowhere near the grand experience of New York City’s celeb spottings, department store challenges, free drinks, concerts, etc. all of which are open to the public. It was a fun night, but here’s to hoping that Fashion’s Night Out returns to the Big Apple in 2014.
