With FNO all set for Thursday, September 6, FNO assistant Alia Orane unearths a few hidden gems in city Portmore.

The day started as I walked up to The Observer Celebrates Fashion’s Night Out bus with great anticipation. Heels on my feet weren’t exactly ideal, as I was told we’d be doing a lot of walking. I took a deep breath and knew I’d be okay, as I had on my Corso Como comfy booties.

Our first stop was Portmore Pines Plaza, and we walked into each store asking the owners to take pictures for our FNO promo pages. No one was ready, but luckily our charming photographer Garfield Robinson got the ladies in Fashion’s Night Out mode.  It was exciting to see the different types of stores which were poised to be a part of the big night; from electronics, to books, to fashion. Portmore Pines Plaza holds one gem called Pieces, a lovely store that sells quality clothing for today’s modern woman as well as a few beautifully embellished pieces.  On point neon dresses caught my eye immediately. I knew I’d have to come back.

Next stop: Portmore Mall, where most of the excitement was with the taxi drivers negotiating for the best price to take pedestrians wherever they chose. One even asked if he could be a part of Fashion’s Night Out because of the buzz we brought to each store in the mall. In Shop 9, Block B, a very tiny store called The Fashion Icon Wear is obviously the place to shop because of its trendy and affordable clothing and shoes. It’s a very hidden store, but definitely somewhere to add to the list of places to shop.

We made little stops here and there to plazas that didn’t hold much, but because we were travelling in our FNO-branded bus, people were waving and quite curious about what was happening. Our last stop was Greater Portmore Shopping Centre, where, if you’re looking for accessories, Shae Danyels Couture (shop 133) is the place to go. They sell statement necklaces and fancy footwear, but also offer manicures and pedicures. Being pampered while shopping, I’d say sign me up!

Whether you live in the Portmore area or not, I would say take on the traffic and head out there on Fashion’s Night Out. With the hidden gems in this area, it is totally worth it.