As many of you are no doubt aware, tonight marks the inaugural Fashion’s Night Out event in Los Angeles.
Fashion’s Night Out was started in 2009 in New York – fashion mecca of America – in response to the flagging economy. It’s aim was to get people back involved with – and excited about – American fashion and design. This year Los Angeles is jumping in on the fun and hosting it’s own FNO to feature our bustling garment industry. While not on the same level as New York’s fashion industry (which is their 2nd largest industry. finance is #1), Los Angeles is home to a multitude of garment manufacturers as well as plethora of designers and ateliers, and has many flagship stores of the top tier designers. In other words – a successful, happy and healthy fashion industry is important to our economy as well. And this is where this effects all of us; as consumers we’ve seen many magazines and brands wither away and in some cases die due to the slowing of the economy. As beauty professionals, you’ve felt jobs wither away as well. FNO has become a global initiative to keep the fashion industry strong and thriving so that we all – consumers and professionals – can benefit!
Fashion’s Night Out Los Angeles events are taking place in 8 primary neighborhoods/malls which are Abbot Kinney (Venice), Beverly Center, Los Feliz Village, Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard, West Third Street, Westfield Century City, and Westfield Topanga Mall.
To see a listing of the events as well as maps of the areas, you can visit Fashion’s Night Out Los Angeles Events. Most of the events are wardrobe oriented, but there are some beauty events mixed in as well. Here are some of the things that caught my eye;
- Strange Invisibles Perfumes (Abbot Kenny) – Strange Invisibles is a craft parfumier using all natural bases and ingredients. I’m fortunate to have known about the brand since it’s inception – I’ve met the owner and a close friend is one of the executives of the line – and to own 2 scents and several bath products. The scents are indescribably exquisite. You really have to experience the scents to understand. SIP will be hosting a trunk show featuring mini massages, aromatherapy consultations and a pre-release sale of their newest fragrance.
- Beverly Center – The Beverly Center is going to be a zoo. They are hosting 2 of the major fashion show events featuring celebrity hosts, and pretty much every store in the mall is participating in FNO in some way. On the beauty tip, Aveda will be giving out free samples all night, The Body Shop will be giving away samples and mini makeovers and hand massages, Carlton Hair is having a $50 Happy Hair Blowout package that includes champagne!, and interestingly, Wet Seal is having in-store makeovers that include stylists and makeup artists to help customers create new looks. Fun!
- Betsy Johnson (Melrose) – the Stila team will be there to do in-store makeovers
- Fred Segal (Melrose) – makeovers taking place at Smoak Cosmetics & Kissable Couture and “Eyelash Guru” Ja’maal Buster will be on site doing his specialty eyelash applications.
- Tarina Tarantino (Melrose) – Makeup artists will be on hand to do mini-makovers using the Tarina Tarantino line.
- Benefit Cosmetics (West Third) – Mini makovers, raffles and cocktails.
- The Grove (West Third) – Not listed on the FNOLA site, but there are several events taking place at The Grove (including a fashion show at Nordstrom’s featuring Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas) so The Grove should also be pretty zoo-y. This not a beauty event but this involves friends of mine so I’m gonna shout it out anyway. Blogger’s Cafe/Dedicated Followers are hosting a styling event in which my fashion stylist friends Kallah Maguire (Emerald Scarab) and Reah Norman are both involved. Raffles, games, prizes and refreshments as well a makeover consultations are involved. For more information, you can visit Blogger’s Cafe/Dedicated Followers FNO Event. There are several other events taking place at the Grove as well, so for more information visit FNOLA @ The Grove.
- Westfield Century City – Events mall-wide. Discounts, samples, mini-makeovers & refreshments at Aveda, Fresh, Crabtree & Evelyn and Origins.
- Westfield Topanga – Likewise as Westfield Century City, the whole mall is participating. Participating beauty stops include Bare Escentuals, Carlton Hair, Dermalogica, and Kiehl’s.
All Fashion’s Night Out Events take place between 6-10pm. So go out, have fun and SHOP!
Technorati Tags: aveda, bare escentuals, benefit cosmetics, betsy johnson, beverly center, carlton hair, crabtree and evelyn, dermalogica, fashion's night out, fred segal, Ja'maal Buster, keihls, kissable couture, makeup to go, origins, smoak cosmetics, strange invisibles, Tarina Tarantino, the grove
). While I was up there, I had more time than usual, so I decided to do something I’d thought about for a while, and that is to find the “happening” beauty spots in the San Francisco Bay.
). They add subtle sheen, a sheer yet buildable amount of color and dry to a natural finish on the skin. AND they have no parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, etc. 
). Instead, it’s about changing applications and textures, and going for a more easy approach. I call this time of year the “Lighten Up, Brighten Up” time of year.