Santa Monica hosts night of fashion

Orange peep-toe heels walked down the polished white runway. Iridescent show lights glinted off a locally designed blue and white halter shift dress. At the end of the show Los Angeles Magazine Fashion Editor, Linda Immediato, stepped onto the runway to fulfill her role as host of “Fashion’s Night Out,” a global fashion initiative to engage shoppers.

From henna to sparkling champagne, stores had a lot to give away in hopes of drawing customers in.

White boxes concealing special prizes were lifted out of a Bloomingdale’s sponsored claw crane. In the same venue, a makeshift photo booth gave attendees the chance to snap a photo of the minimakeovers they received.

At another popular stop, an illustrator did quick fashion sketches of people and their outfits.

Store-fronts around Santa Monica had similar one-night-only promotions. Shops along Main Street flagged their participation by displaying a poster of a black dress with the white words “Main is the New Black.”

Across town at the Beverly Center, the evening included live window models and a red carpet for celebrity appearances such as Lucy Hale and Nicole Richie.

For its second year of participation, Santa Monica Place called on the forces of Immediato to present the event.

“I was really nervous,” said Immediato of playing host for the event. “You spend so much time behind a desk styling people that it’s hard to be in front of an audience.”

“American Idol” finalist Stefano Langone was on hand to perform his debut single “I’m on a Roll.” The large crowd warmed to Langone’s big energy on stage. After a short Q&A, the lights dimmed, and models took to the stage for a fall preview of incoming fashion.

Popular looks included mainstream metallics, fur vests coupled with long-sleeved neutrals and re-imagined leather. Nicole Flynn, Senior Marketing Manager of Santa Monica Place, mentioned the event’s “very collaborative” process, which included several fashion producers, three photographers and videographers, not to mention working with stores for the fashion show.

“It’s kind of a year in the making, if you will,” said Flynn. “We are taking a quick breather before we jump [back into planning], but each year we learn how to do it better and better.”