Why do we need a Fashion Party Night Out shopping party?
Liza Kologreeva
TODAY in Moscow will host the annual shopping party Fashion's Night Out, and on the 12th it can be expected in St. Petersburg. Nevertheless, the New York version of the event was canceled this time. Wonderzine understands why a fashionable night is needed now, when the financial crisis - the reason for its appearance - has passed.
The phrase "... a multi-million dollar industry is working to emphasize one thing. Inner beauty!" - one of the best finds of the film Devil Wears Prada. Like any other industry, fashion is designed for millions of profits, and like any other industry, fashion is going through hard times in a crisis. It was 2008, and the owners of the brands from H & M to Hermès looked at their financial reports without a smile. They come to the aid of one of the main engines of commerce - Vogue, where advertising pages are many times more than page spreads with interviews and shootings, which can also be advertising, which is rather a compliment to advertising managers. A year later, a brilliant team of professionals led by Anna Wintour comes up with Fashion's Night Out. Its essence is simple: at the beginning of September, the participating FNO stores work several hours longer and offer special collections and, of course, make small discounts. Add to this the cool guests - and the profit: it’s really funnier to buy under the DJ-set of “that guy with MTV”.
At first, Fashion's Night Out takes place in world capitals like New York and London, and then moves to other countries where there is a Vogue. The success of the event is colossal: the event is covered by publications far from the Condé Nast pool, and the number of people on the streets of the city is impressive. From a financial point of view, feelings are mixed: in stores in Manhattan, sales increased by 50%, but a number of accounts, such as Barneys, were dissatisfied with the return of the FNO.
The euphoria does not last long: the night, designed to shake up the economy, turns into a celebration of the glory of consumption
The euphoria does not last long: the night, designed to shake up the economy, turns into a holiday in honor of universal consumption. This is starting to disturb fashion critics from the US - and already in 2011, Katie Horin writes that she sees no point in the FNO. “The idea was good at the beginning, when there was not a soul in the shops. But over the years, the event became a party before Fashion Week. The result - the New York fashion night comes to an end in 2013. Thus, Stephen Kolb, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, comments on the abolition: "We have fulfilled our main goal - we have brought customers back to the stores." Independent publications like New York Magazine fend off: “At the FNO, we saw more crowds lounging around the windows with champagne than real buyers.” Forbes and Gawker note that those who want to be close to celebrities come to events more likely. Perhaps the most solvent US customers really avoided the event - they are known for their pragmatism.
If you look at the list of cities where Fashion's Night Out will be held this year, you will surely note that countries with a developing type of economy are participating in it: these are Brazil, India, China, Russia, Turkey and other countries, where the level of Louis Vuitton bags is per capita is growing every day. Perhaps the FNO in the near future will refuse Britain and France. Is this night bad? Not. You just need to look at it from the angle of sellers and buyers. For the same Dior and Miu Miu, this is an opportunity to make monthly revenue in three hours. Well, many brands can be praised: some of the funds from sales in Prada stores will go to funds for helping children. FNO customers should be treated as a good promotional event. It rather complements everyday consumption with some pleasant experience: in Burberry you can get a sign trench for free, in TSUM they will make a manicure or some kind of care procedure, Fred Perry will give a set of icons for purchase. Well, if you like some kind of brand, for example M.A.C. or Viva Vox, on FNO you can get a thing from its special collection. One should not wait for only one thing - discounts: their absence worried New Yorkers. But you can go shopping with designers, models and stylists, well, without the crowd of schoolgirls and students with Instagram will not do. There is something to think about if you care about the circumstances in which to choose things for yourself.
What can you buy at Fashion's Night Out:
