New York Fashion Week: How You Can Attend

Photo by Jessica Mathews

Even you can take part in the glitz and the glamor that comes with New York Fashion Week – you just have to know where to look.

While Fashion Week features big-name designers and models strutting their stuff on the runway, most of the shows are by invite only, while others aren’t always advertised.

“…I’m immediately always refreshing the NYFW homepage to see when they’ll drop the schedule for fashion week. Once that schedule’s out, its email time! Basically, I know that every designer has a PR team and that’s who handled the RSVP’s and shows so I email them and let them know that I’m a student seeking real fashion experience…” said Michelle Evangelista, a sophomore Fashion Merchandising and Management Major at Berkeley College.

There are a variety of ways to take part in Fashion Week – from panels and pop-up shops – and different ways to find out what’s going on between Feb. 8 to 16.

“I look more towards smaller designers or designers who are successful but a bit more lowkey,” said Michelle. “I also see if the event is an open event with an RSVP. If it’s an open event, then I can actually just attend and be “part of the crowd” which is always fun.”

Some sites like Eventbrite offer tickets for events. While many of the events charge admission, ranging from $10 to upwards of $1,500, some events on the site offer free admission and tickets are available for reserve.

Other opportunities, featured on the NYFW app, include working as a volunteer or attending casting calls for those looking to get a behind-the-scenes look. Other events include fashion shows, panels, and “experiences,” which often includes a ticket to a runway show and an industry networking event afterwards.

“I think the only resource I use to find events is through Instagram,” said Tatum Ophelia, a freshman at King’s with an interest in the fashion industry.

Designers, photographers, and bloggers often post about different activities happening throughout the week. Tags like “#NYFW” or “#newyorkfashionweek,” remain a resource many people find helpful when looking for events. Location tags around the city in popular areas for events, such as SoHo, can also be helpful when searching for activities.

Filtering through tags and locations often turns up posts about pop-up shops, sample sales, or experiences that are taking place. With Instagram’s new feature that allows users to follow specific hashtags so they can stay up-to-date on the latest posts in a category gives greater chance to find events around the city.

Although tickets to many of the shows may be invite-only, many people still linger around the location in hopes of a celebrity sighting or to catch a glimpse at street fashion.

For a complete schedule of events, visit: http://nyfw.com/.