Quite a few of you have asked questions about New York Fashion Week, how you can be apart of the event and how you can attend shows. NYFW is one of the greatest Fashion Weeks in the world and is definitely the premier Fashion even in the States. Though every state, city, and neighborhood has a Fashion Week of some sort, it’s in New York where all of the contacts are created, decisions are made and careers are established. Thousands flock from all over the world to gather with models, designers, publicists, journalist, celebrities and everyone else you can imagine for a Week full of Fashion extravagance. This happens twice a year in NYC and in other cities all over the world. Getting into Fashion Week isn’t easy. But it can definitely be done. And with a little bit of persistence, you all can gain access to Fashion Week as well. Last season was my first Fashion Week ever. And though I never planned to attend (I just went to NYC for the IFBCon) I ended up sitting front row at a few shows! For me, it was all about networking, being likable and showing myself approved. It was about fashion, style, and all that jazz.
Get Press Credentials
This is probably the best way to get into Fashion Week and it’s a guarantee that you won’t be turned away at the door. To receive press credentials, log onto MBFashionWeek.com and register under press. Fill out the complete application. Leave nothing empty (even if it says optional) and be honest about your stats. Don’t lie about anything you have going on. But definitely brag a lot. This is where your little light should shine bright!
Press credentials won’t guarantee you access into the shows (although you will very likely be invited to several), but at least you’ll be the venue with everyone else. See, designers and their PR firms will have to invite you to their shows personally. Once you get into the venue, you’ll have to stand in a line in the lobby for your tickets to the shows you were invited to. Without tickets, you’ll have to stay in the lobby with everyone else. Which isn’t a bad thing at all! While in the lobby, you can network with people, discuss career options, promote yourself and turn your business into a brand. You can also plug into the community wi-fi and blog away your experience, take pictures with celebs and plan events.
If you’re not good at networking and you still want to see a show, you can always stand in the standby line. The people in this line are granted tickets to the shows that have extra seats. Designers hate having empty seats at their shows. It’s a total blow to their ego and looks horrible on camera. So, make sure you’re there to fill them. Just before the beginning of each show, ask the ticket agents if you can receive a standby ticket. If there are any available, they’ll give you one. If there are none available, get back to networking! The lobby is a goldmine of possibilities. Don’t let any of them pass you by!
Get on the designers PR list
If you receive press credentials, you’re pretty much guaranteed access to a few shows. The names of all approved press are placed on a press list that is sent out to every designer who’s presenting during the week. Some of the younger, smaller design houses will invite everyone to their show (including you) just because they need the press. The larger, more notable designers are more selective and will only invite a few major players that will make a big hit in the media world. So once you get your press credentials, begin working towards adding your name to the designers invite list. This isn’t super easy. But it’s not impossible either. Research the PR companies that will be handling the shows of the designers you love. If you gain press credentials, you won’t have to research much since a list should be emailed to you. But if you don’t have credentials, you can start with ModemOnline.com and work your way from there. Send them an email asking to be on the list. Be professional and honest about who you are and why you should cover their show. A rule of thumb: include all of the information you included in your press credential registration application. If you’re approved, and invitation will me emailed to you. If not, you won’t receive and email. Don’t fret if you’re rejected. Instead, stand in the standby line like nothing happened. You will be one of many.
Just Walk In
Just so you know, I never had press credentials during last season. I just walked into the venue and I made it past security without a problem. If you want to attend Fashion Week and you haven’t connected with anyone, you can try to do that as well. One way to do it is to look like you belong, like a model or an editor. Models and editors walk all over Lincoln Center during NYFW. There are so many of them that security can’t keep up with their attitudes, sassiness, schedules, and ego’s. Plus, security is usually hired from some outside service so they have NO IDEA who’s who in the fashion world. Offending a major editor by asking them to show credentials could cost them their job. So if you want to get into the venue, just dress your absolute best and walk past security like your Naomi Campbell or Anna Wintour. Trust me, it works. They will not stop you if you look like you belong. On the contrary, paparazzi may begin to take pictures of you because you look like ‘someone’ and security will widely open the doors because they assume you are ‘someone’. This happened to every pretty girl walking in and out of the venue, including myself. Walking in pairs or groups of three only makes this more of a possibility. Once you’re inside, start working on your blog, networking or standing in the standby line. By now, you should know the routine. There is one downside to this is…people usually have an unrealistic view of themselves. You may THINK you look like a model or an editor. But in actuality, you don’t. And your lack of self-awareness could lead you towards an embarrassing scene at the front door. One bad moment at the front door could mean no more Fashion Week for you.
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