Fashion's Night Out 2010 goes GLOBAL

THE DAY YOU SHOULD SHOP TIL YOU DROP!!!

For those who haven’t been anxiously counting down the days until New York Fashion Week, you probably aren’t aware of a little event called Fashion’s Night Out. This huge, globe-spanning extravaganza kicks off NY Fashion Week, which showcases the spring/summer collections of the current top designers. The event begins tonight, Sept. 10, 2010; it’s centered in New York City and is promoted by Mayor Bloomberg, “Vogue” and the CFDA, but is celebrated in cities across the country and in many countries around the globe.

Fashion’s Night Out gives the chance for shoppers to get exclusive access to many stores and the opportunity to shop with the stars and see big names in fashion such as Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and tons of supermodels up close in person. The second annual event, whose slogan is “Shop for Something Good,” is the biggest shopping event of the year, with top designers like Alexander Wang, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Byron Lars and Proenza Schouler opening their doors to the public and encouraging customers to shop.

In addition, mass retailing companies such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Sony Style and American Apparel have participating stores across the states. On top of the designer merchandise sure to fly off the shelves, the collection of Fashion’s Night Out merchandise is equally well-known and is sold with a purpose. A percentage of the proceeds of the tanks, classic tees, tote bags, hoodies and more go directly to the New York City AIDS Fund.

On Tuesday night, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American “Vogue,” and her team staged “Fashion’s Night Out: The Show,” which displayed models wearing the looks that fashion editors picked for Fall 2010. The event was intended to entice the public to come out on Friday and begin shopping. Over 1,500 patrons forked over $250 per ticket to see the biggest public fashion show in New York City history, which featured models like Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell and Lara Stone working the runway along with 150 other big names.

The location of the show was the new home of New York Fashion Week, the Lincoln Center. Each of the 157 looks showcased on the runway were based on the trends of plaids, twenties glamour, rock chic, romantic minimalism, ladylike ensembles, utilitarian outerwear and bohemian. Though the show only lasted 20 minutes, including the runway show and a performance by Pharrell Williams, the show executed its mission of exciting the crowd for the coming weekend extravaganza.

Fashion’s Night Out marks a new kind of retail marketing, sparking excitement in fashion again and providing patrons with a fun night out instead of the regular old shopping trip. The official website for the event even allows you to plan out the entire evening to include celebrity appearances, free gifts with purchase, refreshments, pop-up shops, contests, DJs, designer appearances, exhibitions and tons more.

Fashion’s Night Out is the first and only event of its kind, thought up by fashion leader Anna Wintour in an effort to revive the fashion community after the effects of the recession. After such a huge turnout last year, this weekend is sure to see a jam-packed New York City.

For those of us who unfortunately can’t make it to NYC for this star-studded event, CBS is airing a special Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m., and of course, the official merchandise is available online to shop for and order, so you can celebrate the event wherever you may be.

I LOVE NY 5 of 28 Places to Visit

The Apollo Theater
Photos courtesy of Kennected

The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with African-American performers. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated variety show consisting of new talent.

The theater is located at 253 W. 125th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, specifically in Harlem, one of the United States' most historically significant traditionally black neighborhoods. The Apollo was revived in 1983, when Inner City Broadcasting, a firm owned by former Manhattan borough president Percy E. Sutton purchased the building. It obtained federal, state, and city landmark status, and fully reopened in 1985. The Little Rascals, produced by former actor Jimmy Hawkins, performed at a fiftieth anniversary show at the Apollo that year. The musical duo Hall & Oates played the grand reopening in 1987, which was released on an album that year.

In 1991, the Apollo was purchased by the State of New York.

On December 15, 2005, the Apollo Theater launched the first phase of its refurbishment, costing estimated $65 million. The first phase included the facade and the new light-emitting diode (LED) marquee. Attendees and speakers at the launch event included President Bill Clinton, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons.

On December 28, 2006, the body of James Brown, who had died a few days before, was displayed at an Apollo Theater memorial covered heavily by the news media. As of 2009 it is run by the nonprofit Apollo Theater Foundation Inc., and draws an estimated 1.3 million visitors annually.

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Remembering the Honorable Percy Ellis Sutton"

Percy Ellis Sutton

1920-2009

former Tuskegee Airman

Media Mogul

Power Broker

Pioneering Civil Rights Attorney

Last week I had the honor of attending the homegoing service for Mr. Percy Ellis Sutton. The service took place at The Riverside Church, located on New York City's upper west side. People came out in droves to pay respect to the legacy Mr. Percy - "Jimmy" (as his family calls him) left to live on.

Reverend Jesse Jackson offered a personal tribute while Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Council Member Inez Dickins, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, to name few honored Mr. Percy's life with fond and exciting memories. Broadway veteran Melba Moore lended her vocal gifts by singing a selection of Amazing Grace, Stevie Wonder beautifully performed an emotionally exhausting but gentle version of his song As (I'll be Loving You Always), and Reverend Al

Sharpton delivered a radically stirring eulogy, which left me feeling even more inspired to continue to live in my personal journey and purpose as an affirming black gay man fighting for honorable love and respect for the human condition.

Attending Mr. Percy's funeral was completely educational for me. The life this man cultivated and the legacy that is living on is greatness. Although I didn't know him personally, I'm thankful for what he offered to the community because humbly I've been awarded with many of his gifts. Future Fans and A.A+W readers I am blessed this day to say: if you didn't know Mr. Percy, you really did!

Below, I'm leaving you with just a few highlights from his amazing life.

• Organizing and founding member of The New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus in the New York State Assembly
• Participant in the southern Freedom Rides, arrested 14 times and imprisoned at the dreaded Parchment Farm Penitentiary in Mississippi.
• Recipient of the 72nd Springarn Medal from the NAACP in 1987
• Organized the successful effort to have the Apollo Theatre receive NYC landmark designation
• Reopens the Apollo Theatre and operates it as a concert venue, television facility and recreates the tradition of the weekly Wednesday Amateur night show.
• Creator and Executive Producer of the nationally syndicated television show, "It's Showtime at the Apollo".
• Cofounder of the Annual HARLEM WEEK Festival.
• Authorized New York state legislation creating SEEK program at New York City Universities.
• Spearheaded the expansion of the Manhattan race to the five-boroughs; thus, creating the New York City Marathon.
• In 1971 with Clarence B. Jones, Wilbert Tatum and John Edmonds acquired ownership of the New York Amsterdam News.
• With his son Pierre M. Sutton founded the weekly newspaper The New York Courier.
• In 1980, created & operated Amistad DOT Venture Capital, Inc., a MESBIC (Minority Enterprise Small business Investment Corporation), with offices in Washington, DC and New York City.
• In 1993 established Apollo Theatre Records, a record label and recording company.
• Created ACTEL, a joint venture satellite telephone company with operations in Africa.

Think you didn't know Mr. Percy...think again. He rewarded us in so many ways.

In a time when it seems the economy has the best of us, or even when we personally feel either inadequate or unmotivated, this was a man who reinvented himself in so many ways, and inspires me to keep keeping on. From the words of Shakti Gawain, "when old dreams die, new

ones are created." Keep moving on and pushing through your dream, create new ones, or start over again and create a different life.

Have an A.A+Wsome Wednesday.