Fashion's Night Out may no longer be the economic stimulus it was originally intended to be, but the annual late-night shopping festival didn't fail to attract crowds of consumers on September 6. Held across the U.S.—and throughout Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world—the fashion industry's initiative once again saw stores and brands bring out famous faces, musical guests, and activities to woo people into their spaces.
Here's a look at some of the most engaging efforts from events and promotions that took place around the U.S. for Fashion's Night Out.
Fashion's Night Out New York: Henri Bendel
Less about celebrities and famous designers than years past, Henri Bendel's Fashion's Night Out event had the cast of Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity perform on a stage set up in the ground-floor atrium.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Henri Bendel
Zumanity performers also stood in the windows, interacting with passersby via a microphone.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Saks Fifth Avenue
Among the many offerings spread throughout Saks Fifth Avenue was a performance by the Blue Man Group.
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Saks Fifth Avenue
Fashion's Night Out New York: Saks Fifth Avenue
A partnership with Crayola brought in artist Diem Chau to carve sculptures from oversize crayons, as well as a graffiti wall that customers could tag with their own messages.
Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Saks Fifth Avenue
Fashion's Night Out New York: Saks Fifth Avenue
The New York flagship of Saks also invited visitors to the store to play Wii fencing against U.S. Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse and his teammates.
Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Saks Fifth Avenue
Fashion's Night Out New York: Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks also had Fern Mallis, who broadcast interviews with famous faces like Oscar de la Renta (pictured, left) on her Fashion Insiders With Fern Mallis radio show for Sirius XM.
Photo: Andrew Martin/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Ford Fusion Eco Design Pop-Up
Ford trumped its position as the official ride of Fashion's Night Out with a pop-up at Gansevoort Plaza designed to highlight the style and sustainability of its Ford Fusion car. A retrofitted shipping container was turned into a boutique shop, with clothing items from eco-friendly designers Christopher Raeburn, Organic by John Patrick, and Rebecca Minkoff.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Ford Fusion Eco Design Pop-Up
Two Ford Fusion cars positioned at the pop-up allowed consumers to check out the vehicles. Beside one, a digital screen allowed visitors to choose an outfit from Organic by John Patrick and pose for photos that could be shared digitally.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: The Shops at Target Pop-Up
No stranger to pop-ups for Fashion's Night Out, Target introduced the latest round of partners for its Shops at Target program with a temporary store inside Highline Stages. And although it drew crowds, the promotion didn't see the same mayhem as last year's Missoni for Target shop.
Photo: Nilaya Sabnis
Fashion's Night Out New York: The Shops at Target Pop-Up
Inside the Target pop-up, producer ExtraExtra carved out distinct spaces for each partner. The four shops were decorated in different styles and set up like miniature stores with racks and mannequin displays.
Photo: Will Ragozzino/BFAnyc.com
Fashion's Night Out New York: 3.1 Phillip Lim
Store windows at 3.1 Phillip Lim grabbed passersby with comic-book-inspired designs, promoting the overarching theme of comic books, which inspired Lim's fall 2012 collection. An 18-page comic book was handed out in the store with a promotion to download the brand’s Agent 3.1 app, which unlocks hidden content and prizes in the comic.
Photo: Melissa Schorsch/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: DKNY
Photographer Patrick McMullan (pictured, far left) hosted the festivities at the Madison Avenue DKNY store, pausing often to snap shots of guests.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman and Tumblr provided hats, sunglasses, and other props for guests to use in photo booths provided by Bosco. The images were streamed on Tumblr.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs partnered with New York magazine for Fashion's Night Out. To lure more people into the store, windows held mannequins wearing T-shirts that read, 'Don't just come for the free drinks,' as well as a prop-laden photo area that visitors could only get to if they walked through the store first.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Benetton's "The Art of Knit" Pop-Up
Known for its brightly colored sweaters, the United Colors of Benetton looked to solidify that image with the "Art of Knit" pop-up it opened in SoHo. To decorate the 2,200-square-foot former garage, the fashion brand invited artists from Fabrica, its incubator in Milan, to create knit wall decor and installations. The most eye-catching was the series of sculptures created by Erik Ravelo, which had people-shaped wool pieces performing poses from the Kama Sutra.
Photo: Courtesy of the United Colors of Benetton
Fashion's Night Out New York: Prada
Vogue's international editor at large, Hamish Bowles, curated the look of the Fifth Avenue Prada store. Filled with custom mannequins in purple outfits, the store also had Bowles sign autographs for fans.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Maybelline
Maybelline, the official makeup sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, held court in a tent set up in the meatpacking district. In addition to free makeovers, the cosmetics company used touch-screen kiosks to give away free beauty goodies.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: MAC
The SoHo location of MAC was mobbed with fans who crowded into the space to see rapper Azealia Banks perform.
Photo: Courtesy of Shiraz NYC
Fashion's Night Out New York: Moods of Norway
To celebrate the opening of its stateside store, Moods of Norway hosted a "Really, Really Blond Party" at which all attendees were given blond wigs to get the classic Norwegian look. Food included bite-size waffles and jam, while cocktails made of ginger beer, lime juice, and vodka were served in copper mugs.
Photo: Melissa Schorsch/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Woolite Washed Boutique
Laundry detergent brand Woolite opened a boutique to tout its new campaign and products to the fashion-focused crowds. Inside the SoHo space, chandeliers looked like washing lines and washing machines formed the front of the bar.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Woolite Washed Boutique
To provide more information about the detergents, Woolite's pop-up had an interactive display where visitors could touch the cap of a bottle and have information pop up in a bubble projected onto the surface of the table.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Ted Baker London
As a nod to its British heritage, Ted Baker London parked a food truck outside its Fifth Avenue store and doled out free fish-and-chips to the first 100 visitors.
Photo: Andrew Martin/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out New York: Rogan
In the windows of its store, Rogan had an acrobat on a trampoline flip and bounce for the crowd.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Los Angeles: Beverly Center
Beverly Center was once again the center of Fashion's Night Out action in Los Angeles, where Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale hosted a fashion show. The event, produced by Stoelt Productions, had a tiered stage and an enormous LED screen to showcase the looks on the runway.
Photo: Brian To/Getty Images For Beverly Center
Fashion's Night Out Los Angeles: Paul Frank Pop-Up
Paul Frank hosted a pop-up on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. The theme was "neon native," and the look was trippy decor and bright colors everywhere. Kinetic Lighting bathed the space in neon colors, using battery-operated fixtures in the temporary venue, which was outfitted with little power.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Los Angeles: Paul Frank Pop-Up
In keeping with the "neon native" motif, dreamcatchers—hand-strung by staffers—hung overhead at the Paul Frank pop-up, neon tumbleweeds from Green Set decked the floor, and neon-painted cow skulls sat atop the bar. A photo booth offered props in line with the theme, and a candy bar offered sweets from apothecary jars.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Toronto: Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew celebrated its 175th anniversary with a "Hot in the City" birthday bash outside the store. Staffers passed out balloons and glow sticks in the brand’s signature magenta, and projections covered the storefront. Diet Coke was on site and, in honor of Holt’s anniversary, created a magenta bottle just for the occasion.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Miami: Afrobeta
Purveyors of fashion and synth-pop music, Afrobeta performed a free outdoor show alongside a pop-up bazaar at the District Factory in Miami's design district. Speakers carried the concert inside to add to the shopping experience.
Photo: Tracy Block for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Chicago: Groupon
At the 900 Shops' "Fame, Fashion, & Flavor" event in Chicago, activities included a "beauty bazaar" with touch-ups and hairstyling stations. Wait times were long, so guests could purchase a $1 Groupon deal on site that let them cut the line.
Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Boston: Scott James
In Boston, Newbury Street store Scott James gave away "Fashion's Night Out Survival Kits" complete with Scott James cotton socks, Menaji skincare after shave, Cape Crabbers sunglasses, and a key to a V.I.P. after-party at Revere Hotel Boston Common's Emerald Lounge.
Photo: Courtesy of Scott James
Fashion's Night Out Georgetown: V.I.P. Party
Sponsor Grey Goose doled out three flavors of specialty punch at Fashion's Night Out Georgetown's V.I.P. party.
Photo: Adele Chapin for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Georgetown: Brightest Young Things Lounge
Outside Dean & Deluca, the Brightest Young Things lounge was set up in a tent decorated with chandeliers and draping. A DJ spun tunes from a booth in the rear.
Photo: Adele Chapin for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Georgetown: M29 Lifestyle
At M29 Lifestyle in Washington, guests cracked open fortune cookies that held coupons for varying percentages off purchases that night.
Photo: Adele Chapin for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Georgetown
In Washington, street performers wearing stilts and balloons in the Fashion's Night Out colors posed for photos with shoppers.
Photo: Adele Chapin for BizBash
Fashion's Night Out Orlando: Neiman Marcus
At Neiman Marcus Orlando, principal dancers from the Orlando Ballet posed in evening wear in a makeshift studio set up on the store's second floor. Six local fashion photographers from Snap! Orlando took turns taking photos of the dancers.
Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash
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