Rachel Zoe Appearance Causes Near Stampede at Piperlime

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• The crowd before Rachel's arrival
• Rachel's arrival
• Casanova and no he didn't actually purchase the item
• Michael and Sarah from Project Runway
• Rachel's husband Rodger
• Rodg surrounded by a gaggle of admirers
• The scene
• The main floor of the shop, near Rachel of course
• Tumbleweeds in the shoe section
• The desperate crowd still waiting outside Piperlime near the end of the night

Fashion's Night Out last night in Soho was an absolute shitshow, not to mention an iPhone black hole. With so many groups out for "shopping"—that is, free drinks and celeb sightings—the streets and AT&T's deadzone were near impenetrable. The Piperlime pop-up event with a Rachel Zoe meet-and-greet was no different. We know that she's a celebrity, but didn't realize until now that she incited near-Madonna-type hysteria. The line of avid fans went down the block and at one point was about six people deep.

Guests amused themselves by stargazing at the current Project Runway cast including Casanova and Michael. Rachel's arrival was staged with Secret-Service–level precision (one security staffer into his wrist mic: "She still has not landed.") Once Rachel arrived, along with husband Rodger and her posse, it was absolutely bananas and we were almost trampled in the melée. The beefy security guards in CIA-style earpieces were getting pretty forceful, even getting up in the face of one fedora-wearing former Project Runway contestant whose name we can't remember and sending him cowering back into the crowds. One woman was almost crushed between people and a display table (Security: "Give her some space, people, give her some space.")

Guests then lined up for a photo and autograph with Rachel (and at this point, we noticed a bit of a skunky fragrance wafting through the air...WTH?). We were chatting with one lady who came with her husband all the way from Austin, Texas just for Fashion's Night Out and she actually shopped. That was reassuring since despite the absolute crush of people near wherever Rachel was, the shoe section was virtually empty.

Even as Rachel made her way out, the crowd outside the shop was still about ten people deep. We think this overheard official communication from one nicer security guard sums up the ridiculousness of the night. Speaking with dead seriousness into his CIA wrist mic, he growled, "I'm located between the Denim Bar and the English Prep."
· Piperlime Pops Up in Soho Just In Time For Fashion's Night Out [Racked]
· All Fashion's Night Out Coverage [Racked]