As anticipated, reports show that Fashion Night Out was a popular success, but commercial flop.  Retailers managed to draw crowds, but failed to entice attendees to purchase.  I’m not sure what made the planners of the event think that it would increase spending…the format of the event really didn’t encourage shopping.  The crowds in most stores were definitely too big for shoppers to really peruse the racks, or try on clothing.  I think that if CFDA / Vogue plans to do this again, they should abandon sales as a goal for the evening, but rather think of the event as a promotional tactic, and devise ways of encourage attendees to come back to the stores at another time…i think the event did do a good job of getting the public excited about fashion though.  Maybe it will have some long term benefit…? 

Read more about it on Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/17/fashion-night-out-lifestyle-style-anna-wintour-vogue.html