Music blasted from the shop doors on Via Condotti as Champagne flowed freely inside. Not even thunderstorms could dampen people's spirits, at this years Vogue Fashion Night Out 2012.
taly’s fashion capitals, Milan, Rome & Florence, are annual hosts to Vogue Fashion's Night Out. A celebration where many designers open their doors until midnight, offering special discounts and limited edition products.
The event kicked off with a fab catwalk show at the Spanish Steps, and a Fashion-Art-Music event on Via Margutta, hosted by Bistro 22, with singers and acrobats to get the party started! The cocktail of the moment was the delicious Campari Orange Passion, and Campari and Lavazza were the official sponsors of the event in the Tridente area. Including the Spanish Steps, the eternally chic Via del Babuino, Via Condotti, and Via Margutta leading to Via del Corso.
In honour of the event, Lavazza designed a kitsch Limited Edition range of designer coffee tins, each being named after Italy’s top fashion designers. Lavazza teamed up with Fashion 4 Development, to help the people of Africa with their Lavazza 'Tierra' project. Top Italian designers Marni, Roberto Cavalli, Missoni, Versace and Moschino, did their bit by designing the unique coffee tins for VFNO 2012, which were sold exclusively at this event. However, my spy tells me the tins can also be bought at Piazza di Spagna 35 and at via della Spiga 30, in Milan, for €12, (50% of which goes to charity). Campari’s Red Passion Talent Prize to search for the best new Italian designer was awarded to Gianni Serra, in Milan, on the 6th September.
Many brands designed Limited Edition products exclusively for the event, but not just in the name of fashion. Various designers donated proceeds to the victims of the devastating Emilia Romagnia earthquake.
The event was a screaming success, with the streets around the Spanish Steps chock-a-block with fashion conscious Italians gleaming with delight at the make up demonstrations, window display decadence, and goodie bags being offered.
Alitalia had a cool display of Barbie dolls clad in Alitalia uniforms from the 50's. Staff dressed up in retro Alitalia attire, serving Champagne to their customers. It certainly stood out as unique, demonstrating the trends through the decades of the official Italian airline parading 50 years worth of stewardess moda from 1950-2011, and fashion in the skies.
Salvatore Ferragamo at via dei Condotti 73, had a special edition hand woven shopping bag, with a print of the legendary rainbow coloured wedge created for Judy Garland in 1938. MaxMara launched their new shop on via dei Condotti just in time for the event. Even Samsung had limited edition covers for their Galaxy S III phone.
For Florence’s Fashion Night Out, the final of the three Fashion Night Out Events, the city of Florence and it’s surrounding famous fashion outlets are fully involved. Castel Romano is offering exclusive discounts for the event throughout the weekend between the 21st and 23rd of September. Again, proceeds will go towards helping the victims of the Emilia Romagnia earthquakes.
