READY, SET, SHOP!!!

With the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival '11 in Brisbane coming to an end this Friday, the 26th, fashionistas down under can look forward to another propitious fashion event early this September. Slated to happen in the city further down south from Brisbane, Fashion's Night Out 2011 will bring the meaning of "Shop 'Til You Drop" to greater heights on September 8th this year in the city of Sydney, in conjunction with the revitalization of the Sydney CBD.

A global initiative supported by VOGUE and CFDA

VOGUE's Fashion's Night Out (FNO) was launched in 2009 in New York City as a means of kick starting the economy by encouraging people to start spending money in the retail industry. The brainchild of Anna Wintour, the influential editor-in-chief of American Vogue, FNO is currently in its third year running and sets to take on over 17 cities - India, Japan, France, United Kingdom, Russia just to name a few.

In Australia, FNO 2010 proved to be a huge success with thousands of shoppers flooding the Sydney CBD for the one-night-only shopping event. With more than 400 brands involved, including Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany&Co, the city's night life took a brighter turn with bespoke events and installations for customers to enjoy while shopping like a VOGUE VIP. 

This year, The City of Sydney has pledged $60,000 support for the event and will be based in not only Martin Place, as it was last year, but also in the recently reopened Pitt Street Mall. Models, celebrities, designers and stylists also promise to make this event more interesting and engaging, alongside special retail events such as exclusive competitions, one-night only discounts and a luxury 'car boot sale'. 

Arm yourselves with this: A map of participating FNO'11 retail outlets

If all of the above is not enough to get you jumping out of your seats with excitement, the following titbit of news might just leave you floored.

This year's FNO will definitely be different with the influence of up and rising technology. Not only do they have apps for iPhone users (so you won't get lost in the sartorial jungle), FNO will be made available online so for those who are dying to but are unable to attend this shopping bonanza, fret not and click away to get your hands on the official FNO 2011 collection as well as one off pieces created by leading Australian as well as international designers specially for this celebration of love for fashion.

Mark your calenders now and start counting down! Did I mention that it's a free event as well? Which means you don't have to pay to be in, plus you can save all those ka-chings specially for all those lovely things.

VOGUE Fashion's Night Out 2011, Sydney, official website: http://fashionsnightout.vogue.com.au/