How to Attend or Buy Tickets to Fashion Week

Industry Shows / New York

There are two types of NYFW shows: industry shows, and open-to-the-public shows.

Industry New York Fashion Week shows are reserved for buyers and press.

To attend an industry show, you have a couple of options: register with the NYFW producers directly, or contact the design houses directly. One of the bigger producers, for example, is IMG. IMG registration generally opens up a few weeks before the events. Several thousand people apply, and only a small percentage are accepted. There’s also an application fee (usually around $80), which doesn’t guarantee approval. And even if your application is approved, that still doesn’t guarantee admission. It simply allows you to submit to the various designers for their consideration to actually attend shows.

There’s also an application fee (usually around $80), which doesn’t guarantee approval. And even if your application is approved, that still doesn’t guarantee admission.

Open-to-the-Public Shows / New York

More and more opportunities are being offered to the public, via prize giveaways, and opportunities to buy tickets, from people such as Macy’s, emerging designers, and more.

More and more producers are offering tickets to the public.

Volunteer Opportunities / New York

For volunteer opportunities, try some of the producers of New York Fashion Week, or individual design houses (start a-Googling).

Watch Live Online / New York

You can watch the shows live here.

Industry Shows / London

London’s most prominent series of events are held by the British Fashion Council. You’ll need to register on the BFC site. You’ll also need a verified address in London to register (presumably to show you’ll actually be able to attend if accepted).

Open-to-the-Public Shows / London

But if you can’t get into those events, you’re in luck. Because directly following London Fashion Week is a four-day, open-to-the-public series of events called London Fashion Week Festival (previously, “London Fashion Weekend”). And yes, you can buy tickets!

But if you can’t get into the official London Fashion Week events, you’re in luck, thanks to London Fashion Week Festival.

Volunteer Opportunities / London

Want to volunteer at London Fashion Week? We recommend trying the British Fashion Council site. Although we’ve never seen specific opportunities posted there, if you wanted to contact the BFC, that would be the place.

You could also inquire at the London Fashion Week Festival site (see link above).

Industry Shows / Milan

To attend Milan Fashion Week, you’ll need to register at the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, which organizes many of the shows during Milan Fashion Week.

Open-to-the-Public Shows / Milan

Open-to-the-public shows in Milan are hard to come by, but you can always check the Milan Fashion Week schedule.

Volunteer Opportunities / Milan

The Chamber of Italian Fashion no longer seems to have a job network, but you might try contacting someone there just in case.

Industry Shows / Paris

Let’s face it: everyone wants to go to Paris Fashion Week.

As with the other fashion weeks, you can apply for accreditation, this time at the French Federation of Fashion. You can also try emailing the designers directly, as each season the schedule is posted with each designer’s press contact.

You’ll also need a verified Paris address in order to attend.

Open-to-the-Public Shows / Paris

Occasional open-to-the-public events can be found on the Paris Fashion Week schedule.

But you don’t have to wait for fashion week to see a runway show in Paris. The Galeries Lafayette has runway “trunk shows” (showing new collections debuting in-store) throughout the year, and they’re free to attend.

You don’t have to wait for Paris Fashion Week to see a runway show in Paris.

Volunteer Opportunities / Paris

Your best bet here is to volunteer for any of the design houses. You can also try contacting the officials at FHCM.