Fashion's Night Out 2011: WeHo gets logo makeover, party

The style-centric, globe-spanning retail block party known as Fashion's Night Out is still seven weeks away (it's scheduled to take place on Thursday, Sept. 8), but local efforts are well under way.

Today comes word over the transom (metaphorically of course -- when was the last time anyone laid eyes on an actual transom?) that the city of West Hollywood has big plans on tap -- including new imagery that will appear on posters and all manner of event ephemera -- and an official after-party at the Mondrian’s Skybar.

That means instead of having to be really, really good-looking or well-connected with the guy at the door (one of those guys described his job to me once as being "a human screen" -- and he said it with no apparent sense of irony), all you'll need to do is make a purchase from one of the city's participating retailers, a roster that already includes stores like Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, H. Lorenzo, Alpha Gear for Gents, and John Varvatos. (We're told that some of the big name brands who feted Fashion's Night Out with a single New York City event last season have seen the wisdom of participating on the West Coast as well.)

While the city-run shuttle bus running among retail areas on Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard isn't exactly new this year, the now-open 333-space, five-story library parking structure at San Vicente Boulevard and Melrose should help ease the city's notoriously tight parking for anyone wishing to avail themselves of the free rides.

This year's WeHo FNO logo (say that five times fast) will also be getting a splash of color -- as well as a wingman -- and/or wingwoman in the form of sketched figures designed by artist Ruben Esparza.

We expect the colorful characters will be allowed into Skybar -- purchase or no purchase.

-- Adam Tschorn

Images: West Hollywood's Fashion's Night Out plans include an official after-hours party, new artwork by Ruben Esparza (at top) and a logo makeover (bottom). Credit: Courtesy of West Hollywood. 

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FNO NYC Recap: Mayhem across Manhattan

Fashion Report: Selena Gomez may follow in Justin Bieber's fragrance footsteps

Rihanna was spotted walking down a New York Street this week, beating the heat by wearing an oversized shirt -- with no pants. You might expect to see such a look at the beach, or on Lady Gaga just about anywhere. [People]

Justin Bieber's new perfume broke sales records for a fragrance launch -- three weeks after he introduced it at Macy's New York, "Someday" has racked up more than $3 million in sales. Now his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, is said to be teaming with licensing firm Adrenalina to work on her own fragrance brand. [Telegraph]

Uniqlo, which is ending its relationship with Jil Sander, plans to collaborate next with Jun Takahashi. The first fruits of the new deal are set to hit stores next spring. [WWD]

High-end swimwear brand Shay Todd has opened on Los Angeles' Melrose Avenue. The shop boasts a spa and tea garden along with swimsuits and tunics. [Mondette]

Dylan Lauren is one lucky woman. Her father is Ralph Lauren, so when she married recently, her gown was a fairy-tale creation from dear old Dad.The handmade, figure-hugging dress was a mix of duchesse satin, tulle, silk and georgette, with a voluminous train. [Telegraph]

Former Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld has teamed with star photographer Mario Testino to style the September issue of V Magazine. She'll reportedly dedicate a whopping 72 pages to screen legend Elizabeth Taylor. [Telegraph]

Award-winning designers Prabal Gurung and Joseph Altuzarra have created capsule jewelry collections for Atelier Swarovski. But you have to go to Manhattan to buy them. They'll only be offered there, at the Swarovski Crystallized shop, starting July 27. [Racked] 

Anna Wintour and other Vogue editors plan to attend Tokyo's Fashion's Night Out, which is scheduled for Nov. 4 -- almost two months after New York's FNO on Sept. 8. [WWD]

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez at the 2011 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on July 13. Credit: Christopher Polk / Getty Images / ESPN

Beverly Center to reprise role as L.A. hub for Fashion's Night Out on Sept. 8 [updated]

While the royal wedding is currently the focus of the fashion flock -- and will no doubt remain so for the foreseeable future -- plans are being solidified for that other global celebration of fashion and retail exuberance known as Fashion's Night Out (FNO).

The third annual installment of the shop-stravaganza has been confirmed for Thursday, Sept. 8, and representatives of the Beverly Center tell All the Rage that the shopping complex is set to reprise last year's role as the hub* of Los Angeles' efforts, which drew a reported crowd of 25,000.

Today's announcement is no doubt just the tiniest tip of the FNO iceberg, by the time the big night rolled around last year, most local shopping centers and the neighboring cities of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood had announced ambitious plans complete with food trucks, Ferris wheels and runway shows.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: The Beverly Center, which has announced plans to reprise its role as the hub of Los Angeles' Fashion's Night Out retail celebration on Sept. 8. Credit: Beverly Center.

 [*Updated 4/28/11 3:36 p.m.: An earlier draft of this post described Beverly Center as the "official" hub of this year's FNO in Los Angeles. No such official designation has yet been made by the City of Los Angeles.]

More All The Rage coverage of Fashion's Night Out

New York Fashion Week: Tom Ford debuts women's RTW

Who else but Tom Ford could round up the world's most beautiful women to model the first women's ready-to-wear collection under his own name?

In 2007, Ford launched an eponymous menswear line, which has since become a favorite of the red-carpet set. (His client list includes Daniel Craig -- and his James Bond alter-ego in "Quantum of Solace" -- Brad Pitt and NBA player Amar'e Stoudemire, who turned up at last week's Fashion's Night Out runway show at Lincoln Center nattily attired in a TF suit.). A women's side of the business had always been part of Ford's long-term plan, and he returned to that arena Sunday night with a super-exclusive showing at his Madison Avenue store. 

For his first women's collection, Ford enlisted some of the most beautiful women in the world to model, including Lauren Hutton, Julianne Moore (who co-starred in his 2009 directorial film debut "A Single Man"), Rita Wilson, Lisa Eisner and Beyoncé.

In a time when fashion is everywhere, and the Twitterati have tackled the tents thumbs a-blazing, this couldn't have been more personal. The bloggers were MIA, nary an iPhone camera was brandished and Ford himself talked guests through the entire collection, describing each piece in detail, all the way down to the gold-dipped feather earrings.

Many of the clothes seemed to be inspired by the women who wore them; Hutton wore an ivory silk trouser suit with peak lapels, while Eisner sported a boho chic feather headpiece, hammered gold breastplate and a black column gown. Karen Elson, who sang on the soundtrack that accompanied the show, wore a cobalt blue fringe dress. Moore (whose husband and daughter were sitting in the front row) wore a nude silk Georgette fringe dress.

Wilson, wearing a glamorous black velvet evening column gown, and her hair swept into an up-do, seemed to enjoy the sheer spectacle of nearly 100 people crammed into the narrow ground-floor space of Ford's boutique, vamping it up on the catwalk and striking a pose for the photographer.

Model-wise, it was an all-ages show, with the likes of 20-year-old model Chanel Iman in a '40s-looking Prince of Wales check pants suit and 29-year-old Julia Restoin Roitfeld (daughter of French Vogue Editor in Chief Carine Roitfeld, who has also been the face of Ford's Black Orchid fragrance) in a zip-front leather jacket also hitting the postage-stamp-size runway.

One of the most striking outfits of the night was worn by Beyoncé, who entered to enthusiastic applause wearing a black-fishnet, hand-embroidered gold pailette patterned dress.

But it's unlikely you'll see any photos of Ford's spring/summer 2011 women's collection popping up on the Internet soon (at least without the permission of Ford's camp) because a strict "no camera or recording device" policy was in place, and the event was easily the most exclusive and hard to get into of the week. Not to mention that the lensman Ford enlisted to shoot the models as they came down the runway was none other than famed photographer Terry Richardson.

Ford is as much a savvy businessman as a control freak, and we suspect he's trying to keep it under wraps as long as possible for maximum effect. If images haven't surfaced by the time Ford finally opens his long-awaited Beverly Hills boutique later this year, we couldn't think of a more opportune time.

-- Booth Moore and Adam Tschorn, reporting from New York

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More All Rage coverage of New York Fashion Week

Photo: Tom Ford and Julianne Moore at the Golden Globe Awards on January 17, 2010. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times
 

FNO NYC Recap: Mayhem across Manhattan

The dollar count may not be done yet, but by sheer body count -- and the number of events that unspooled across New York City on Friday night -- the sophomore installment of Fashion's Night Out was an unmitigated success.

All The Ragers who found themselves in town for New York Fashion Week tried mightily to experience as much of the fashion-related frivolity as possible, starting the night at Barneys New York's 10-layer cake of chaos at Madison and 61st Street at 6:30 p.m., and ending it nearly four hours later outside the Balenciaga boutique (outside because the crowd turning out to hear model Karen Elson sing had reached capacity at the exact same moment we arrived).

Barneys seemed to serve up something for everybody, from a display of handmade Kouklitas dolls inspired by fashion icons (Anna Wintour and Grasce Coddington dolls greeted shoppers right inside the front door), to Simon Doonan posing (patiently) for photos and signing copies of his book "Eccentric Glamour," and Daphne Guinness signing bottles of her namesake fragrance.

Fashion’s Night Out: Neiman Marcus makes the sale, and art and a burger truck attract stylish hipsters at 3.1 Phillip Lim

There was truly something for everyone during Friday night’s Fashion’s Night Out in Los Angeles. At Neiman Marcus, the ladies who lunch came with their friends, mothers and shopping buddies in tow to flood each floor of the department store and, well, shop, shop, shop.

Dr. Lorena Frcek of Brentwood attended the Neiman’s event with her mother, and the two definitely got their shop on, purchasing some black jeans from CJ by Cookie Johnson (which was a featured product after Johnson staged a fashion show using the store’s centrally located escalators as a runway) as well as plenty of beauty and skin care products. “I’ve been shopping at Neiman’s for 20 years,” said Frcek. “I had a blast last year, but I definitely bought more this year.  They had yummy appetizers last time and the fashion show was better. This time they just have chocolate chip cookies. I’d love a small piece of bread and some cheese; it would be a nice pick-me-up.”

Designer David Meister was winding down his customer meet and greet (one of three he’s doing at Neiman’s over the weekend) and had a fun time at his first Fashion’s Night Out. “This is a great event for getting more people out. It makes shopping more approachable. The atmosphere may be like a party, but it also really promotes the retail business. It’s a win-win for everyone and it just seems to be getting bigger and bigger!”

Over at the 3.1 Phillip Lim store in West Hollywood, it was the crowd that was getting bigger and bigger. The Pattywagon burger truck gave party-goers sustenance (and a buffer for the tequila being served at the open bar) and drew a giant line that seemed to blend right into the well-dressed masses that stood around the front courtyard in too-cool-for-school huddles like it was lunchtime on the high school quad.

Inside the boutique hung an art exhibit by James Jean which was curated by Lim. The subject was “L.A tastemakers” and 19 portraits of people such as Cameron Silver, Gia Coppola and Rashida Jones were hung from clothing racks just in front of Lim’s fall 2010 collection. Out of 19 portraits, 11 sold and proceeds benefited the LACMA costume council. Clothing sales were also up with a portion also going to the costume council.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: Gia Coppola tends bar for guests at 3.1 Phillip Lim's party for Fashion's Night Out; Gia Coppola and Rashida Jones at 3.1 Phillip Lim's party for Fashion's Night Out. Credit: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Fashion's Night Out: Fergie at the Grove

"Fergie! Fergie!" cries a young boy in a fringed leather jacket clutching an iPhone in one hand and a Fergie CD in the other as he runs toward the escalator where she has appeared. Dressed in a short, tight, sky-blue dress, Fergie hugs the boy and poses for a photo. About 200 people have gathered at Nordstrom at the Grove, where the Black Eyed Peas singer signs autographs for shoppers who buy from her newest shoe collection.

She sits at a black lacquered table surrounded by shelves that display chunky suede and leather boots in pearl grey, caramel and black as well as suede stilettos with dainty crisscross patterns over the toe. Fergie is wearing a pair of the stilettos, and one onlooker remarks, "Yeah, but did she actually design them herself?"

Meanwhile, Fergie sits like a queen, greeting her subjects as she squeezes the hands of each person she meets. The fans represent a variety of ages and cultural backgrounds.

Bodyguards at her side keep order but everyone is pretty relaxed.

One employee opines, "She should have come in on a string and lit herself on fire or something."

In the background, the party atmosphere that was inaugurated earlier with the appearance of TOMS Shoe creator Blake Mycoskie is still in the air. In the background the DJ plays Sheila E.'s "The Glamorous Life."

-- Daina Beth Solomon

Photo: Fergie for Avon. Credit: Avon via Getty Images

Fashion's Night Out: Beckley on Melrose

Melrose Boulevard was up way past its bedtime, with shoppers strolling from store to store and registers ringing loud and clear Friday night. Case in point: Beckley, whose owner Melissa Richardson had a stroke of genius in hiring pedicabs to take shoppers to as many stores as they desired, sans the stress of parking valets or meters.

In her store, where customer relationships seem to always come first, Richardson greeted regulars and the new faces that stopped by. The RSVPs exceeded her expectations and so did the amount of sales. "It was so much more than what I thought. It's always a good thing when people are shopping," she said.

She said she would definitely participate in Fashion's Night Out again next year "because there were so many new people in the store. When you have been open for two years and the buzz wears off, getting new people can be a challenge."

Guests sipped on strawberry basil lemonade, some served "Madonna's, Like a virgin" -- which is what I enjoyed. But the drinkers took it straight up, with vodka. Travis Schmidt's uber-popular world's fair food truck handed out Diane von Furstenburgers.

The pedicabs turned Melrose into its own little shopping community, which is exactly what Richardson had in mind. I took the pedicab to Kiki de Montparnasse, where the Chapin sisters played a beautiful acoustic set with soft harmonies while shoppers took advantage of the aphrodisiac tasting that consisted of what the manager termed erotic food, such as grapes, figs, berries and dried papaya strips.  

After I tried a handful of berries and enjoyed a beautiful performance, the pedicab took me back to my car. Sports car drivers poked fun but the pedestrians cheered the pedal-pushing pedicab drivers, and so did I.

-- Raha Lewis

Photo: Melissa Richardson in Beckley, her West Hollywood boutique. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles TImes

Fashion's Night Out: Teens flock to the Beverly Center

Teens were by far the most well-represented age group at the Beverly Center on Friday during Fashion's Night Out.

 "I really, really, really like fashion," said Jean Fuentes, a 16-year-old from Fairfax High School. "I want a high-waisted skirt that I've seen at H&M," she said.

Fuentes was wearing her highest heels and had brought three friends with her. When asked why she wore such uncomfortable shoes, she said, "Beauty is pain and pain is beauty," words she said she was forced to live by "because we have to look good in this industry."

Fuentes hopes to be a designer one day, which is why she came to the Fashion's Night Out events, which included a runway show, music and shopping, shopping, shopping. Her friend Orit Metusal had no idea that this was going to be such a shopping spree. "I want to see Justin Bieber," she said --- who wasn't appearing.

The mall was transformed into a fair with DJs packing in crowds at Armani Exchange and Steve Madden, live models drawing attention to Traffic, Skechers and Everything But Water, and hosts standing outside stores personally welcoming shoppers to partake of their sales for the night. There were even shoppers munching on cotton candy.

Behind the scenes, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa entertained private guests and the owners of many of the Beverly Center stores in the VIP lounge.

Bill Taubman, chief operating officer of Taubman, the company that owns the Beverly Center, said what they really wanted from the evening was "to elevate the Beverly Center brand, putting it front and center and hopefully getting the people to come who hadn't been here in a while to see all the great new stores that we have opened."

-- Raha Lewis

Fashion's Night Out: Beverly Center photo gallery

Photo: Models strut down the runway at the Beverly Centers Fashion's Night Out, part of a larger Los Angeles Fashion's Night Out taking place in other parts of Los Angeles and New York. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times.

Beverly Hills hosts a carnival of fashion on Rodeo Drive for Fashion's Night Out

The posh strip of Rodeo Drive retail shops from Little Santa Monica to Wilshire Boulevard was alive with people who flocked to the Beverly Hills hot spot for everything from gourmet food trucks to discounts on fashion and even a "free" ferris wheel ride Friday night.

A motley mix of patrons circled boutiques, popping in for the champagne and desserts and many actually browsing and buying. There were school-age kids with their parents at Bebe, Guess and Juicy Couture, the latter of which offered 30 percent off on purchases. DJs, drinks and stilettos at YSL and Jimmy Choo attracted well-dressed women who mingled with friends and tried on fall's latest shoes.

Celine Liu and Una Wu were visiting from Taiwan and still managed to find out about the night's festivites. They each puchased jewelry and clothes from Juicy Couture, taking advantage of the night's discount.

Jourdan Rashing, 12, strolled with her mother toward the Guess store after stopping for sustenance at the grilled cheese food truck that was serving a special "fashion" sandwich containing spare ribs, cheese and caramelized onions. When asked if she had taken a ride on the ferris wheel, she replied "no, not yet. You have to buy something and show your receipt, then you can ride it," she said. 

For those who simply wanted a festive Friday night out, live music, balloons and giveaways were everywhere. And of course it wouldn't be Beverly Hills without an ample amount of eye candy-- All the Rage saw six women dressed to look like the Kardashian sister (asymetrical-sleeve cocktail dresses and cascading brown hair extensions) standing in front of Bebe.

--Melissa Magsaysay

Fashion's Night Out: Rodeo Drive photo gallery

Photo: Shoppers stroll past the first-ever ferris wheel on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills during Fashion's Night Out September 10, 2010. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times.