Fashion's Night Out Los Angeles, September 10, 2010

Congratulations to the City of Angels for stepping it up for the second annual Fashion’s Night Out. There was so much to do it was hard to narrow it down. Thankfully, J’s game for pretty much anything so it was a marathon shopping night. 

Our evening started out at the GenLux Magazine party on Rodeo Drive. The event also featured a silent auction to benefit Daisy Love Merrick (www.prayfordaisy.com). Food was provided by Tabu Grill. They served a delicious ginger soup and an incredibly buttery yellowtail that melted in your mouth. I definitely recommend dining at this place.

In most of the shops the champagne was flowing and deserts and other tasty treats were being offered. Live music, balloons, and giveaways were also in abundance. We passed the Grilled Cheese Truck on our way to Roberto Cavalli. It was only about ten after 6 and already a line had formed. I guess everyone wanted to try the “fashion” sandwich, which was a special for the evening and was comprised of spare ribs, cheese, and caramelized onions. Upon arrival at Cavalli we were greeted with a Cavalli cocktail (made from Grey Goose and not Cavalli vodka – bummer.) We sipped our drink while admiring the beauty of Signor Cavalli’s latest collection.

After Cavalli we passed by Chanel and noticed that the line was too long for manicures, so we dashed off to Guess. At Guess we sipped on Dirty Blonde Grapefruit Mimosas and snacked on mini truffle grilled cheese bites. (Hopefully, from The Grilled Cheese Truck since I didn’t have a chance to hit it up.) We checked out the jewelry and dress that were designed specifically for the Beverly Hills store before heading off to Prada. At Prada we drooled over the new line of handbags before hitting up Michael Kors. After a sip of champagne at M.K. we trotted on down to the Ferris wheel to check out the Fashion Rules tournament, which pitted Vogue West Coast editor Lisa Love against brow expert Anastasia Soire. Other competitors included: Christine Ehrlich and Jen Rade, George Kotsiopolous (fashion editor and stylist), Kelly Osbourne (who looks great!), Carrie Anne Inaba (Dancing With the Stars) and Rose McGowan.

With Rodeo conquered we headed on over to The Grove for Bloggers’ Café. The stylist’s lounge was held in the grassy area just outside of Nordstrom. Kudos to Michael Venedicto, CEO/co-founder of Fashion Los Angeles and Kelsi Smith, Founder of TwoPointOhLA, for organizing such a great event. Wine and hor d’oeuvres were provided by The Whisper Lounge and MAC Cosmetics gave free makeovers. A big thank you to The Grove and participating retailers for the awesome gift bag that contained the official Fashion’s Night Out LA tee, an American Express gift card, a candle from Tommy Bahama, samples from Fresh, soap from Caudalie, discounts from Gap, coupons from Theodore and The Whisper Lounge, and some yummy brownies from The Farm of Beverly Hills.

Inside the lounge we got to view a variety of presentations from various fashion stylists, which was hosted by Kelsi Smith – a girl with great style of her own. Margaret Sche (The Sche Report) showed us five key trends for fall. Kadi Prescott presented looks for moms on the go. Reah Norman (stylist & editor of Plus Model Magazine) and Bree Cooley presented Fall Trends for plus sized ladies, and Kallah Maguire (Emerald Scarab) was on hand to aid shoppers with creating looks from their FNO purchases. Halfway through the evening I dashed out to check what the participating stores had to offer. I have to say that the Michael Kors’ at The Grove caters to a younger clientele than the one in Beverly Hills. 

I managed to make it back in time for the “Best Dressed” competition. Heather Petrey, of LA Fashion Snob, was one of the contestants. She wore an awesome dress that she designed out of recycled FNO t-shirts - complete with a matching hair fascinator. The outfit was impressive. Sadly, Heather did not win. However, she won in my book for being the most creative. Heather makes some great pieces out of recycled clothing, so be sure to check out her blog to see her latest style creations. 

Soon enough the lovely Fergie showed up decked out in a short, form-fitted sky-blue dress. She headed over to Nordstrom to sign autographs for shoppers who made a purchase from her new line of shoes. About 200 people had gathered in the store, so we headed off to Beckley to see what the boutique had to offer.

We love Beckley. This cute little shop on Melrose carries everything from cocktail dresses, to shoes, to t-shirts, to candles, and accessories. Inside, shoppers were sipping on vodka basil lemonades and snacking on Diane Von Furstenburgers and Fendi Fries. Guests were also treated to hair touch-ups from Warren-Tricomi stylists. The owner of Beckley’s, Melissa Richardson, had the fabulous idea to hire pedicabs to take shoppers to any store along Melrose. It was a great way to avoid traffic, parking meters, and valets. 

Before the night ended we met up with our fashionable friends Jose & Manny for a nightcap. We talked about our FNO experiences. They enjoyed the casino tables and open bar at Valentino and brought us little treats from Miu Miu. They also showed us a picture of a fabulous dress by 2bRych that made its debut at FNONY in Lord and Taylor. Hello! Fashionistas! You need to hunt this dress down. (Photo at the top of this article.) All in all, it was a fun filled night. I can’t wait for next year. 

Narrative by Nikki Neil   Photos by J and Nikki