In a summer marked by people raising awareness for different causes, Savannah’s Fashion Night may be the trendier, prettier equivalent of dumping an ice cold bucket of water on your head.
The fourth annual event not only spotlights the myriad of vibrant locally owned retailers in town, but also gives these smaller boutiques a needed boost after sometimes sluggish summer sales.
Bree Thomas, co-founder of the event and owner of Broughton Street boutique fab’rik, said it may sound like a cliché, but Savannah's Fashion Night raises the profile of many homegrown clothing stores.
“Consumers have naturally gone more toward online shopping, so this event promotes getting back to shopping local and making people aware of what Savannah has in its own backyard,” she said.
Savannah's Fashion Night kicks off tonight at 6:30 p.m. on Broughton Street with two runway shows, live bands, pop-up shops and a VIP tent open to anyone who spends $75 or more at one of the event’s 26 participating retailers.
Art Rise Savannah is also creating an open-air gallery on Barnard Street, combining fashion with fine art.
“My store personally, the numbers I get that night are actually better than my Black Friday sales,” said Thomas. “It’s just an awesome way, coming off a very slow season, to give retailers a boost and get them ready for the fall.”
With an expected turnout of about 5,000 people, Thomas said, other stores have reported similar gains.
“The ones that have continued to participate have all confidentially submitted numbers and said it’s been well worth it,” said Thomas. “National retailer chains communicate that they have record highs in their company — it’s been a great night.”
Savannah’s Fashion Night not only affords retailers the chance to attract new shoppers, but to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Sara Jane, owner of Sara Jane Children’s Boutique on 37th and Abercorn streets, is using the event to launch a mobile fashion truck, an increasingly popular trend in the retail industry.
“It took about a year, and we’ve been very tight-lipped about it because it’s kind of a new thing, especially for Savannah,” said Jane. “We tricked out a 31-foot Airstream, and I met with people that have opened fashion trucks in Jacksonville and Atlanta to see what those were like.”
She said the fully renovated space will include clothing and accessories and will serve as an extension of her store — essentially a second location on wheels.
Morgan Bryant, owner of Waters Avenue boutique One Eleven, is teaming with Veronica’s Closet for a pop-up shop in the former location of Gaucho on Broughton Street.
She said they’ll have a giant Wheel of Fortune-type contraption to allow customers to spin and win discounts and gift cards. She’ll also have a rack of summer clothes for an additional 40 percent off.
“This is our first year participating, and I am looking forward to our runway show,” said Bryant. “I’ve never seen my clothes on the runway, and that whole process has been fun to put together.”
Bryant, who opened on Black Friday last year, said she’s also looking forward to the exposure her store will get.
“It’s a big deal … we don’t’ really have any tourists or walk-in clientele; you have to know where we are to find us,” said Bryant. “It’s a great advertisement, and I’m really excited to see turnover we get afterward. I think it will be a huge help.”
Thomas said she will be going for a Coachella music festival vibe at her store with a cotton candy machine, henna tattoo station and lip bar. Handbag boutique Satchel, which recently moved to Liberty Street, will have a pop-up store as well.
The retail landscape of Broughton Street is undergoing rapid transformation with the arrival of new national retailers such as Palm Avenue and the soon-to-open J. Crew, yet Thomas said she’s feeling positive about the change.
“I think it’s something that’s going to draw more shoppers into downtown and bring back the Broughton Street that it once was,” said Thomas. “So I personally am excited and trying to find ways to differentiate ourselves against bigger retailers.”
MORE INFO
For a full list of retailers and events, go to savannahsfashionnight.com
ON THE WEB
Be sure to check out spotted.savannahnow.com later for photos from Savannah’s Fashion Night.
INSIDE
More coverage of Savannah’s Fashion Night is inside today’s DO section.