On September 10th, Georgetown participated in its first Fashion’s Night Out- we went, we saw, and we can’t wait for next year!
By Kinne Chapin and Erin Coulehan
Models at the Betsey Johnson VIP Party for Fashion's Night Out. Photos by Roshan Farazad.
Last Friday, fashion was in the air on M St. Men in tailored jackets and skinny jeans strolled arm and arm with women in their highest stilettos. Students in chambray button downs and army jackets danced at the Dean and Deluca Vitamin Water Lounge. Preformers from Cirque de Soleil’s OVO mixed in with shoppers. It seemed everyone put on their best for Georgetown’s first Fashion’s Night Out.
With over 40 salons, boutiques, and galleries participating in the event by throwing parties or offering discounts, the night offered a little something for every couture connoisseur. We started our evening at Poppy, the gorgeous P street gallery owned by Heid Hess. Poppy is normally one of our favorite haunts for its thoughtfully chosen art and inspiring selection of jewelry by local designers. On Friday, a trunk show by Sonam Dubal gave us extra incentive to visit- his beautiful collection bridges eastern tradition with western culture.
After bidding Poppy farewell, we stopped across the street at the local institution Just Paper & Tea, the stationary and tea store run by Nick and Carolyn Wasylczuk, an energetic couple who first opened the store over 20 years ago. Aside from the tea-tinis, which were not to be missed, Just Paper & Tea offered a free sample of its personalized, embossed stationary with purchases. Time to take up the lost art of letter writing!
Fall Fashion at TD Bank. Photos by Roshan Farazad.
Next we dropped in on the TD Bank party to view their fashion show before heading to M street, which was packed with people taking in the night’s events. At Betsey Johnson’s VIP party, we snacked on cupcakes from Baked and Wired, and sipped açai cocktails. After browsing the racks, we chatted with the band, Vagus, about DC style. The members of Vagus put in their vote for the importance of personal style over trends- we think their own unique style is part of what makes them so memorable.
At Lost Boys, Kelly Muccio explained the message behind her one of a kind men’s store- it’s a way to stray from tradition by giving men the tools they need to own their personal style. Guests seemed to appreciate her vision- the night’s bourbon tastings and straight razor shaves were completely booked.
Further down the street, M29 Lifestyle was offering champagne and dessert to the shoppers drifting through their store. Manager Alison Wilder explained that to make each visit unique, the layout of the store changes frequently, and the owners order just one of each item per size- so you’ll never be caught in the same shirt as the next fashionista. The emphasis on a personal experience made this boutique one of our top stops.
Paige Speyer, owner of Wink boutique, with sales associate. Photos by Roshan Farazad.
The Diane von Furstenburg collection at Wink was another highlight of the night- the designer’s inspiration for fall is undeniable. But perhaps the best place to see and be seen was the Vitamin Water Lounge, where dapper men and dolled up ladies danced and sipped Vitamin Water Zero. The lounge also carried the FNO tote bag, sponsored by Labels for Love, which benefited Cancer Shmancer. Don’t you love fashion for a cause?
At the end of the night, with our feet throbbing and wallets thinner, we thought FNO Georgetown was a tremendous success. Not only were the fashion forward introduced to the best fall has to offer, but they got to mingle and establish real connections- taking fashion from labels to a community. Did we mention we’re already counting down to next year?
