On the second floor, designer Chris Benz stood awkwardly in front of a television with a sign next to it that read “Play Wii with Chris Benz.” He had a considerable amount of scruff and a boyish smile. “I thought of it in the middle of the night,” Mr. Benz said. “I can’t sing and I can’t dance, but I can play Wii. What else does anyone want to do with me?”

Mr. Benz is either really good at Wii Tennis, or everyone that shops at Saks is really bad.

Also there was designer Peter Som, who was making sketches for people in exchange for the purchase of a Fashion’s Night Out t-shirt.

There was free alcohol, centralized around the DKNY display. But not everyone was impressed.

“I’ll drink a bottle of wine at home,” Sam Finzi, owner of the Empesar Showroom on 36th Street, said. “What the hell do I need to come to Saks for?” Ms. Finzi did buy a pair of shoes, though.

 “It’s great just to expose you to what’s going on in the fall season.” Deborah Chatman, a self-described "Wall Street person," said of the vent.

A lot of people had come anticipating a promised performance by Justin Timberlake, who was supposed to come through the Bridal Salon’s glass doors and walk fifty feet over to the William Rast showcase. After about an hour of waiting around, the crowd was abuzz with murmurs of “Should we go?” Well, Mr. Timberlake finally appeared wearing…something. Who could tell with all of those people jumping up and down and snapping photos with their phones? Then he said…something else. Too much screaming to hear.