Style Hounds Prep For 'Fashion's Night Out'

By Michael Lopez

Forget the Oscars and those royal dinners. If you really want to see the best clothing designs on the market, head to Fashion's Night Out! This Thursday, retailers across the globe will be celebrating hawt haute couture with the ultimate evening of retail therapy.

Started in 2009 by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, FNO is all about celebrating style. Designers, celebrities, and everyday shoppers will be mingling at their favorite department stores for an evening of cocktails, killer sales, and runway shows. Its basis is to get people excited about fall clothing lines (and spur up clothing sales during the recession).

As expected, New York will be jumping with activity on September 8. There will reportedly be over 1,100 parties going on in the city and several fashion sites have already added multiple locales to their FNO "Must List."

Reality star Rachel Zoe will be mingling with shoppers at Intermix, Teen Vogue is throwing a block party (complete with free manicures) on West 11th St., and legendary designer Betsey Johnson will be serving yogurt parfaits at her store on Wooster. Argentine polo player Nachos Figueras will also be in the city, signing autographs at (where else?) the Ralph Lauren Polo Store.

Over on the other coast, L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will kick off So Cal Fashion Night with a party at the city's posh Beverly Center. The famous shopping mall will include a full-blown ferris wheel and Cirque du Soleil acrobats. Nicole Richie will also be hosting her own FNO event in nearby Beverly Hills.

And don't think it's just America enjoying in the festivities. 17 countries across the globe will be getting their FNO party on. This year marks the first time that Mexico is participating, with a massive event scheduled in Mexico City from 6pm-11pm.

Vogue Mexico Editor-in-Chief, Eva Hughes, seemed to be very excited about getting Latinos involved in the style celebration.

"It's a chance to show the world that Mexico is able to have a fashion night rivaling the best that other cities in the world can muster," she said. "There was a need to involve people again in the luxury world, in shopping ...The success was such that new countries began to join in."

Brazil, Japan, Australia, and Spain are just a few of other nations organizing massive Thursday fashion fiestas. It all sounds like a lot of fun to us. But of course, the best part will be checking out the ensembles people stroll out in on Fashion’s Morning After.

Are you excited about this year's Fashion's Night Out? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anna Wintour, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betsey Johnson, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fashion's Night Out, Nachos Figueras, Nicole Richie, Rachel Zoe, Style, Vogue