Instead of aiming for drama, mood and atmosphere, the braintrust behind New York's highly anticipated Fashion’s Night Out have hit us with an ostensibly unfashionable “PSA” featuring some of the world’s top models. But maybe that’s the point. Unlike the rest of New York Fashion Week — which panders to the industry’s elite — FNO is for the casual fashionista; at least that’s what a series of decidedly un-glam, grinning supermodels will have us think. The above trailer features 14 of the industry’s top models directed by world-renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh, in an effort to drum up hype and support for the now annual shopping event.

See a sampling of the night’s festivities, including in-store appearances from the Olsens, Alexander Wang and Janelle Monae, after the jump…

Dreamed up by VOGUE’s Anna Wintour last year, the sophomore version of FNO looks to eclipse its predecessor in both size and scope. On September 10th, New York’s bold and beautiful will embark on an all-night (stores are open until 11 but expect after-parties galore), celebrity-enhanced, shop-a-thon of the most epic proportions. To call this year’s scheduled events overwhelming is a massive understatement. Some of the night’s festivities include: a karaoke competition at Barney’s hosted by the Olsen twins; Opening Ceremony’s indoor flea market at the Ace Hotel featuring sartorial luminaries Alexander Wang, The Mulleavy sisters, and Joseph Altuzarra peddling their exclusive goods; Andre Leon Talley hosts a Janelle Monae performance at Ralph Lauren’s Soho shop; Karen Elson performs at Balenciaga; and the list goes on, and on, and on.

But despite all the promises of rare celebrity tete-a-tetes and a chance to party with New York’s gliteratti, FNO’s not-so-secret mandate is simple: make a profit. The fashion industry was one of the biggest casualties of the recession and FNO is their chance to help its friends bounce back. Need further incentive to open up your wallets? More details and a full lineup of events can be found at www.fashionsnightout.com.

-Daniel Barna

Levi’s is helping women to rid their closets of ill-fitting jeans, while simultaneously helping a good cause, with their first-annual “What What Fits” event tomorrow at Bryant Park. Bring an item of clothing that no longer fits (or a piece of unwanted home décor) to donate to Goodwill, and get a free pair of custom-fit “Curve ID” jeans from Levi’s. The event takes place tomorrow from 10am – 4pm at the Fountain Terrace at Bryant Park, but get there early: supplies are limited and the jeans are being given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. As a bonus, Grammy nominated-songtress Janelle Monae will perform tracks from her new CD, and there will be celebrity stylists and Levi’s reps on-hand to help you perfect your look. Not a bad way to spend your lunch hour or Friday afternoon if you ask us.. Click HERE for all the details.

Neighbor Institutions, Le Palais de Tokyo and Musée d’Art Modern de Paris joined forces earlier this summer to open an exhibition dedicated to young emerging artists called Dynasty. After a long search, the two curatorial teams selected 40 French artists — including those living abroad and foreign artists living in France — to produce a work for each venue. The result is one exhibition with two, almost mirror exhibits.

With the same infatuation for the next young artist-du-jour as The Whitney and The New Museum’s recently-curated Biennale and “Younger Than Jesus” Triennale in New York, Dynasty’s premise is a fashionably hyped one. But their duo object and duo venue idea gives it a structured feel the other two shows lacked. The approach also offers a more comprehensible introduction to the artists’ work and is an apt reflection of one of contemporary art’s overarching themes: the agency of the institution on the production of art.

Amoung many other things, you’ll get to see a coagulation of a year’s worth of ominously hanging museum dust (Yuhsin U. Chang’s “Poussière dans le Palais de Tokyo,” photo at left), a beautiful film on impotence (no joke) filmed in Angola (“Liberdade” by Gabriel Abranted and Benjamin Crotty), cell phone-quality videos of everyday life in Paris (Mohamed Bourouissa’s “Temps Mort”) and a taxidermized hyena (“untitled” by Nicholas Milhé). In other words, there’s something for every taste, form and medium.

The exhibition runs until September 5th in Paris. For more information, check out the “Dynasty” website at www.dynasty-expo.com.

- Chloe Roubert

Five specialty items have been designed by participating show designers, including former J.Press creative director Mark McNairy, UK-based Ally Capellino, Corduroy-fave Jack Spade, and local labels and merchants SHARPS Barber & Shop and Bowery Lane Bicycles. Each item comes tagged with a collectible (capsule) stick pin, and will only be sold at the (capsule) show in New York this week, and online at www.capsuleshow.com and www.oaknyc.com for a limited time.

Our favorite is the Ally Capellino Denim Carry-on Bag (above). This special-edition Alphonse rucksack from the British bag designer comes in a dark-washed denim and is topped off with a leather buckle and a special Ally Capellino x (capsule) branded handle. With plenty of roomy pockets and versatile styling (we’d take it to work or to the cottage), it’s proof that the rucksack is making a comeback.

Also on our list of things to pick up: SHARPS’ handy travel set of no-fuss grooming products, which include shaving essentials, Daily Prep Moisturizing Lotion, shampoo and a full-size “Happy Me All Over Soap Bar” all packaged together in a portable gift (or travel) box (photo at left). It’s a sharp take (no pun intended) on the basic travel and grooming kit.

The (capsule) show takes place today and tomorrow at Center 548 in New York and the (capsule) Travel Mart is now open for business at www.capsuleshow.com and beginning next week atwww.oaknyc.com.

On the evening of July 23rd, New York-based fashion collective threeASFOUR, whose designers hail from Lebanon, Israel, and Tajikistan, will collaborate on a performance highlighting their ethereal and sculptural approach to textile design, while provoking a discussion of an individual’s role within society. Their medium and format: live models and actors onstage (see photo at left), performing a ritualistic altering and reshaping of fabric.

The July 24th program, meantime, will feature the first American appearance by Copenhagen-based design duo Henrik Vibskov and Andreas Emenius. Vibskov (who we profiled in Issue 6) and Emenium are unveiling their site-specific installation called “The Circular Series,” which uses the contrasts of a large, rigid geometric structure to speak to the ideas of human rituals and social constructs.

In addition to the installations, the event will feature a screening of Vibskov and Emenius’ Project 8 (see top photo) and Project 9 (set to an original soundtrack scored by one of our favorite Swedish recording artists, Fever Ray) and threeASFOUR’s video collaboration with Yoko Ono.

Noland’s imaginative and sometimes controversial work will engage guests as they enter the Museum with a performance that experiments with enlarged and deformed shapes on the body, creating an unorthodox silhouette, and speaking to an ongoing social idea of high versus low culture, art versus commerce.

Throughout the two-night event, guests will have the opportunity to chat with the artists and participate in a number of hands-on, interactive exhibits and artworks. Think of it as an event that engages all the senses, while simultaneously providing some informative discussion and debate. Tickets to the event are $20. For more information, check out www.interwovenarts.com.