Fashion's Night Out has come to Kansas City


This year, the international event has come to the Heartland of America in a spectacular fashion. Glamor, poise, flamboyance and beauty came out to support the cause of Fashion.

The event, Fashion's Night Out, was created in 2009 by Vogue and the CFDA as a way to breathe life into the retail community and bring in a flow of customers. Due to the recession that is striking America, even the ever untouchable fashion industry has been hit hard. As it was beginning to take it's toll, Vogue stepped out along with the CFDA in order to cause excitement.

And it worked.

Fashion's Night Out has become a huge event, spreading worldwide with over 60 cities participating in this retail extravaganza; Kansas City being one of them. The main bash went down in Zona Rosa, in the Northland. This was the only party that had the offical FNO merchandise from New York so that it could be bought right out of carts. It[Zona Rosa] also had a VIP party that was hosted by Save Inc.

Save Inc. is a charity that is local to Kansas City that helps house people with HIV/AIDS, coming out of drug rehab, and with serious mental illnesses. This community outreach organization was the beneficiary of all the proceeds of the party, as everything including the celebrity appearance was completely 100% donated. "We didn't go out to get this," Neal Brees said, the director of finance, "It just sort of fell in our laps."

In your lap, indeed! Bravo! restaurant was the venue large event with the fashionable who's who of Kansas City in the VIP Event on Bravo!'s back veranda while behind in the Town Center the entertainment played. Anyone who didn't pay for the VIP event could still enjoy the music and festivities that came along with Fashion's Night Out.

The guest of honor for the night was Steven 'Cojo' Cojocaru, celebrity fashion critic extraordinaire. "Civilians are exempt from me," He commented, ever charming and welcoming, "Celebrities, however, have their pick of the most fabulous clothes that the world has to offer."

Well said.

Once the VIP event was over, out in the town center was held a large gathering for a $2500 makeover giveaway. The winner was ultimately chosen because she had been caring for her two elderly parents and had been living out of a suitcase. Cojo had a personal connection to that and it pulled enough at his heartstrings that he chose her to make over.

After that was a fabulous fashion show that was put on by Apricot Lane and Watercolor, boutiques from right there in Zona Rosa. They had local models and an open air show right out for everyone to see. It was completely free to attend, ending the show with a sunset behind the lovely models.


Just for Fashion's Night Out, Zona Rosa stayed up late until 10pm so that the customers could take full advantage of this international event. They hope that next year, more people can come out to the once a year explosion of culture.

-Staci Hathaway
staci.rose.h@gmail.com

Contacts:
Ron Brees, Director of Finance
Zoni Rodriguez, CEO
Steven Cojocaru, Celebrity Guest

Pictures:
Zoni Rodriguez, CEO
Steven Cojocaru, Celebrity Guest
Taylar McCubbins, local design hopeful