Fashion's Night Out: My Top 5 Parties

September 11, 2010

Fashion's Night Out: My Top 5 Parties

Fashion's Night Out party at Limelight Marketplace. Photo ©Mark Edward Studio for modelJOCK.com

Fashion's Night Out is New York City's great, democratic opportunity to enjoy a bit of the excitement of the annual Fashion Week event. Thousands of people — from big-name designers and celebrities to unrecognizable types like me — wandered the streets of Manhattan last night, popping into stores, private parties and other venues to check out the scene of the city's most exciting fashion event.
Believe it or not, this was the first time I participated in Fashion's Night Out (I don't focus much on fashion in my photography, after all). But propelled forward by a couple invites to private events, my partner Angel and I forged into the shiny glass jungle of parties, with no particular agenda or itinerary. We generally avoided the super-crowded big stores, but found it quite easy to come up with our 5 favorite events.

1. Best Private Party: Andaz 5th Avenue
Vogue Food Critic, Jeffrey Steingarten, and Celebrity Chef, David Chang, provided delicious hors d'oeuvres from Momofuku, while the well-stocked bars provided liquid refreshments in the contemporary ambiance of this midtown hotel.

Male underwear models at Limelight Marketplace. Photo © Mark Edward Studio

2. Most Male Underwear Models: Limelight Marketplace
Next Magazine partnered with Limelight Marketplace, bringing an energetic group of male underwear models (wearing Pure brand underwear), as well a a drag show to the stage.

3. Best Small Public Event: Porsche Design
The most attention-getting thing here were the dancers in front — white clad from face to toe, something like the invisible man. Inside the uncrowded shop, a great DJ, friendly staff and tasty drinks and snacks rounded out the event here.

Bryan Adams, photographed by Patrick McMullan for New York Magazine.

4. Best-Looking Crowd: Calvin Klein
We missed the appearance by musician and photographer Bryan Adams, but arrived in time to check out the wide array of models and model types that came here to celebrate.

5. Most Diverse Excitement: Barneys New York
We arrived in time to see Simon Doonan and Chris Blackwell, and the multiple floors of this fashionable retailer were also filled with other activities and excitement, including ping-pong tournaments, musical chairs and an appearance by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

We Also Liked: Omega Boutique, which was uncrowded, pleasant, with great music; Zara, which had strikingly beautiful female models posing patiently in front; Camper, which served up a lovely champagne-and-grenadine cocktail in fluted plastic glasses; and Bally, which had a nice ambiance (but where it was impossible to find a glass to get a drink from the handsome waitstaff).

A few more photos from the most photogenic event for male models, Limelight Marketplace: