Updated 9/26/2015
Attend New York, London, Milan or Paris Fashion Week
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New York | London | Milan | Paris
Want to buy tickets to the upcoming “Big 4” series of fashion weeks? Or volunteer, work or show your designs?
If so, we have good news and bad news. Attendance rules (and opportunities) vary by location, and are generally based on your connections to the industry. But in some cases there are alternatives for those who want to do a little legwork.
See below for information on how to attend, participate, volunteer or work during fashion week.
ATTEND NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
INDUSTRY SHOWS
Industry New York Fashion Week shows are reserved for buyers and press.
Most buyers and press outlets contact the design houses directly. Bloggers can submit for accreditation to producers like 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.
[quote]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.[/quote]
Of course you can can always watch the shows streamed live, online.
OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC SHOWS
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.
There are also various other companies of varying degrees of legitimacy offering “tickets” to New York Fashion Week.
[quote]In general, we don’t recommend companies selling “tickets” to New York Fashion Week.[/quote]
For the most part, we don’t recommend companies selling “tickets” to New York Fashion Week. Although some of these companies may be trustworthy, and shows may be fun, you’re essentially buying at your own risk. Find out about the company’s track record, first. There’s nothing wrong with seeing these shows, but be aware of what you’re getting.
If you go, have a great time. 🙂
Volunteer at New York Fashion Week
For volunteer opportunities, you might want to try the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), IMG, or individual design houses (start a-Googling).
Watch and Participate Online
You can watch the shows live, and interact, at NewYorkFashionWeekLIVE.com.
ATTEND LONDON FASHION WEEK
London’s most prominent series of events are held by the British Fashion Council. As with Mercedes-Benz’s series of events in New York, you’ll need to register on the official site (in this case, that of the British Fashion Council). You’ll also need a verified address in London to register (presumably to show you’ll actually be able to attend if accepted).
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 Weekend. And yes, you can buy tickets!
[quote]But if you can’t get into the official London Fashion Week events, you’re in luck, thanks to London Fashion Weekend.[/quote]
Volunteer at London Fashion Week
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 Weekend site (see link above).
ATTEND MILAN FASHION WEEK
To attend Milan Fashion Week, you’ll need to register at the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, which organizes the shows of Milan Fashion Week.
Volunteer at Milan Fashion Week
The Chamber of Italian Fashion has a job network where you can upload a resume or browse job opportunities. (Yes, we’ve actually seen some there.)
[quote]Milan Fashion Week has an active job network.[/quote]
ATTEND PARIS FASHION WEEK
Even though New York came first, Paris is still considered by many to be the grande dame of all fashion weeks (Paris having been the epicenter of fashion for most of the history of Western civilization).
As with the other fashion weeks, you can apply for accreditation, this time at the French Federation of Fashion. (You’ll note the screening process is more intense, and the language on the website a bit more stern.) 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.
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.
[quote]You don’t have to wait for Paris Fashion Week to see a runway show in Paris.[/quote]
Volunteer at Paris Fashion Week
Your best bet here is to volunteer for any of the design houses. You can also try contacting the officials at the official Paris Fashion Week website.
We wish you lots of luck in your fashion adventures!
Lots of love,
FWO
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