New York Fashion Week And Fashion's Night Out

Have I mentioned that I will be covering Fashion Week this September in New York City? No? Well, I think I've told everyone else, because I am REALLY EXCITED about it! I'm also part of Inside the Tents, put together by the Style Coalition. Inside the Tents is a group of bloggers who are hand picked to bring you the most interesting coverage of New York Fashion Week from - you guessed it - inside the tents.

I'll be able to access the tents, and a few shows. I'll be attending some workshops as well while I'm there, so I'll come back with lots and lots of things to share with you. But one of the things that I am most excited about is Fashion's Night Out Friday, September 10th all across the city.

Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) is an unprecedented global initiative created to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, and boost the industry’s economy. In the United States, the program is a collaboration between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York. On September 10, 2009, more than 300 stores will stay open late to put the fun back in shopping, with designer appearances, live windows, celebrity guests, and other special events. In addition, two important New York charities—the September 11 Memorial and Museum and the NYC AIDS Fund—will benefit from the initiative via the sale of a charity T-shirt and a citywide clothing drive, respectively. On the same night around the world, and led by twelve international Vogue editions (United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Russia, France, Brazil, India, Spain, China, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan), each country will tailor its Fashion’s Night Out celebration to appeal to its city’s unique retail environment.Stores and boutiques will be open late and all sorts of fun and special stuff will be going on.

The complete list of retailers and designers participating can be found at the Fashion's Night Out website. Click on each one to find out the specifics, if any, for the event.

Now, there are so many stores and salons participating that I'm having a super hard time figuring out what I want to do, but I think I've got a general idea of what I want to hit. Here are my picks:

• Barneys New York: Designer personal appearances and special events are planned. From "lip readings" by Lipstick Queen Poppy King to knitting circles to salsa lessons. I'm not missing this.
• Bergdorf Goodman: A cookoff with Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef, an exhibition of extreme beauty photographs from Vogue, and a game show hosted by Andre Leon Talley with teams lead by Donna Karan, Linda Fargo, and Robert Verdi. Customized t-shirts by Alexander Wang and a "conversation" with Issac Mizrahi. Can a I get a holy crap on this one?
• Space NK: I'm a beauty junkie first and foremost, and I've never been to Space NK. So, I want to join them for cocktails and treats and watch eyelash applications and and prepped for all the shows the next few days.
• M.A.C: I don't want to miss the preview for Style Black, their upcoming collection focused on black eyeliner and gothy 80's looks. Can. Not. Wait. At the Soho location a special celebrity guest will appear. See you there!
• Magnolia Bakery: Not to be outdone, the Magnolia Bakery will be creating a special FNO cupcake and donating a portion of the proceeds to the 9/11 Fund. Buy lots. I plan to.
• Bond No. 9: Next door to the Magnolia Bakery, Bond is offering 20% off all items. That's crazy, y'all. You can also blend your own fragrances and enter to win an I Love New York Double Decker Sampler Box. Celebrate NYC!
• New York and Co: My favorite "mall brand" will be showcasing their new Red Label collection and Carson Kelly will be on hand at the Lex Avenue store. While you can chat up Carson on fashion tips, you can also score goodie bags and exclusive event discounts.

There are so many more fun and exciting events to choose from - this is by no means even close to being a complete or comprehensive list. Go check it out and tell me what you would like me to cover!