UPDATED: Fashion’s Night Out Comes to Rome

Fashion’s Night Out, sponsored by Vogue, has been kicking off New York Fashion Week for the last few years, but tomorrow night it’s hopping the pond and coming to Rome for the first time.  While it seems unlikely that the games of “How many times can you spot Anna Wintour” will be as commonplace here as in the Big Apple, the Eternal City is putting its best stiletto-clad foot forward to promote the fashion industry.  Designer stores will be open late, many hosting cocktail hours and collection presentations.  Additionally, if you’re in a rush to get across town, the “Fashion Shuttle” is at your disposal (although to be quite honest, I’m pretty sure it’s just a short ATAC bus painted black.  Glamour much?).  Check out the official website for a full list of participating venues and events taking place on Thursday, September 15.  The events schedule is actually organized by street, and the giveaways seem to vary according to area, so check out the map to plan out your route and optimize swag acquisition (personally, I’m gunning for the canvas bags on Via della Fontanella di Borghese, but check out the link for all the options).

In addition to late-night shopping, Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno will be presenting the Red Passion Prize to noted set designer Dante Ferretti on Via Margutta, where many galleries are staying open late as well!

The full events list is only available in Italian, but scan it for your favorite stores (Fendi is universal…) to see who’s offering cocktails and champagne.  Also, a few key words if you don’t want to translate the whole thing:
anteprima: preview
borsa in tessuto: canvas bag – this seems to be one of the standard giveaways tomorrow
in omaggio: complementary
mostra: show
presentazione: presentation

What: Vogue Fashion’s Night Out Roma
Where: All your favorite stores in the center, from Piazza del Popolo all the way down Via del Corso, Via di Ripetta and Via del Babuino, with everything in between
When: Thursday, September 15
How much: Free to wander, but Prada isn’t exactly offering an after hours discount…
Why: The weather looks beautiful, it’s always fun to look at pretty clothes, and all proceeds from the sale of items designed for VFNO are going straight to the Red Cross.  Pretty cool.