Get Invited to Fashion Week: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Secure Your Spot
Oh, the allure of fashion week. The ultimate embodiment of glamour and luxury, drawing attention from fashion aficionados around the world. Being invited to watch a fashion show is a chance to get a sneak peek at the latest collections from top designers and it offers a glimpse into the carefully calculated trends that will be taking the world by storm in the coming season.
How to Get an Invitation to Fashion Week
1. Buy Yourself A Ticket
Oddly enough, most people think that fashion week is so exclusive that there are absolutely no tickets available. In Paris, it is true, Paris fashion shows are invite only, however this is different from city to city.
Take New York Fashion Week for example, while there are fashion houses that do “invite only” audiences, there are also those that let you buy tickets to a show. They can go anywhere from $60 to over $2000, depending on what experience you want. However, make sure to snag those tickets fast because usually they’re either available presale with a coupon code, or they’re gone within minutes.
VIP experiences at fashion week include front row seatings, after parties & social events, private shopping opportunities and even open bars at each show. It’s the perfect way for someone who is looking to network and become a buyer of these amazing fashion houses, to get their first step in the door.
2. Be Media or Press
To get an invite into the tent, you need to be a credentialed member of the press. Getting to this stage takes time and effort so prepare months in advance if you are trying to get into fashion week this way. You also have to pay a fee
Be prepared to show proof of journalistic employment such as presenting a legal notice that you are an editor, or work for a magazine. Perhaps you could even be an editor for a fashion school magazine club, keep in mind these documents usually have to be no older than three to six months.
3. Be a Influencer
Building a strong social media influencer might get the opportunity to collaborate with fashion brands to attend Fashion Week events. The more followers you have the higher the likelihood. However, you do need to have a following that is either very in tune with the fashion industry, or a very high follower count.
Organizers and PR Teams often reach out to influencers because of their big audiences. In addition, there is strong pressure to have a fashionable crowd at runways as the cameras capture scenes of their audiences. As part of the background they are important too, so dress interesting to fit in with the fabulous crowd they are looking for.
4. Participate in Contests and Competitions
Often fashion designers and models participate in fashion contests and competitions leading up to Fashion Week. This is a great way to get noticed by fashion industry professionals and launch your career.
Some fashion brands and media outlets also run contests or giveaways that offer tickets or invitations to Fashion Week events. So make sure you’re following all the brands you love and keeping yourself updated with any giveaways they are doing! Make sure you know the official New York Fashion Week Schedule.
5. Network Your Way In
As the saying goes it’s not “what you know, but who you know.” This is very true especially in the fashion industry, having industry connections is vital and someone on the inside could secure you an invite.
Some people might even be able to bring you along as a plus one. Perhaps you know a sponsor or someone on the press team, or you could even become a sponsor yourself!
6. Become an Official Sponsor of Fashion Week
If you have the resources, be it in Paris, Milan, or New York, Fashion Week is expensive and some events are sponsored by companies and brands, depending on your level of sponsorship you might be able to receive invitations to attend the shows. As a sponsor, you might be able to get invited to fashion week with more than one invitation as a gesture of good will.
6. Volunteer and Get In Touch With the PR Team
Not everyone can afford to become a sponsor, so why not be a volunteer and be part of Fashion Week? You can get the raw experience of what it is like behind the scenes and build your industry connections by being a volunteer.
PR Teams are essentially the people you want to know because they are the ones extending the invites. Download the official fashion week schedule of New York, London, Paris, and Milan, depending on where you are aiming for, and look at the brands that are going to present.
Reach out to the PR teams of brands you want to work with through LinkedIn, and make a portfolio for yourself that can showcase your skills and experience to make you a more appealing candidate for volunteer opportunities.
7. Be a Celebrity
Celebrities are often invited to attend designer’s fashion shows and may even be dressed by the designers themselves. Celebrities even get paid upwards of $100,000 to sit on the front row, a pretty sweet deal. Although designers do deny this, rumor has it that celebrities get the option to buy their own tickets to fashion shows if they really want to secure a spot for themselves, they are after all usually quite wealthy and are buyers of the brand themselves.
What if You Can’t Get An Invite to Fashion Week?
Can I Buy a Ticket to Fashion Week?
Unfortunately, if you try to buy a ticket to the main Fashion Week events, you’ll find that your choices are quite slim. Seats are typically restricted to industry professionals, media, and VIPs. However, some smaller specialized events during Fashion Week may be open to the public.
Attend smaller events or open shows
During New York City Fashion Week, there are specialized shows that are held around the city. Because of the pandemic physical event spaces are limited for both New York and Paris Fashion Week but this has created an amazing environment where many brands have opted to have a live stream. This gives you the opportunity to experience each catwalk in real-time.
You could also get a VIP Membership to Fashion Week Online and be the first to know when and how to attend open-to-the-public shows during New York and Paris Fashion Week. If you are a model or designer there are opportunities for you that they will let you know of as well.
What to Wear
Dressing well for a fashion show is a must. A general rule of thumb is to wear something by the designer whose show you will be watching, to respect and support them. Remember Fashion Week is largely about building relationships and perhaps you could even build one with the designer!
However, if you will be watching are going to be watching multiple shows and don’t have time to change, or perhaps you can’t afford to buy clothes from each designer, just remember to dress well, showcase your personal style and take the opportunity to make a lasting impression in the fashion industry.
What is Fashion Week & Why Would You Want An Invite?
Fashion Week is such a significant cultural event that reflects the values and tastes of the world at the time of showing, emerging designers, and a place for many to dress in a way that reflects themselves. It has lively and entertaining shows, you could think of it as a performance art and it is extremely fun and unforgettable for those to attend.
Attending Fashion Week is considered to be a prestige because not everyone gets an invite. As one of the biggest and most influential fashion events in the world, it is an exclusive opportunity for industry professionals to network, connect and collaborate with each other, so how does one get their hands on such an elusive invite?
Of course, celebrities seem to get a natural invite to Fashion Week, their influence on the public is immense because people recognize their faces through television shows or movies, and they usually also have a big social media following. If you’re not a celebrity, however, here are some of the ways you could help yourself get invited to fashion week.
A Final Note: Making the Most of Fashion Week Opportunities
Getting an invitation to Fashion Week can be a dream come true for many passionate fashion aficionados. There are many different ways to get an invitation from networking and making industry connections to smaller events and building an online presence. Regardless of the path you choose, the key is to be persistent, professional, and passionate.
When you do get to go to Fashion Week, document your experience, stay connected with people, and above all, have an open mind, be friendly and have fun! With endless opportunities to gain knowledge, build relationships and immerse yourself in the world of fashion, it will surely be a memorable experience for you.
Overall, securing an invitation to Fashion Week involves building industry connections, enhancing your visibility in the fashion community, and often, contributing significantly to the fashion discourse, ensuring your presence is both notable and valuable.
