I went to NYFW for the first time in 2019 and I had a great experience, but for me to get there a lot of planning and research took place. I read every blog I could find and watched every YouTube video about it and it sure helped me a lot! I wrote all the things I learned and the things you should do if you are planning to make your fashion dreams come true.
Secure your stay
The first thing is to secure your stay, New York is expensive AF so if you have friends that wouldn’t mind you crashing on their couch take advantage of that. I stayed at the Pod 51, on February it was very affordable I believe it was $70 per night. But again, this was before the pandemic. If you are planning to pitch hotels make sure to do this 3 or 2 months before NYFW. if you are not a huge creator with millions of followers do not pitch to big chain hotels and focus on boutiques instead. Check this blog post where I teach you how to do this! Another way is to contact the hotel alongside your content creator friends that way the proposal looks more attractive by having multiple influencers posting about their stay. To find the hotel PR email check their websites and look for the “contact us” section usually, you can find it there.
How to Get Invited to NYFW Shows
As soon as the schedule is out decide what shows you want to reach out to. The schedule will be posted on the official NYFW website. if you are a small creator keep your eyes on smaller designers and overall indie brands. You could still try to get into bigger shows but without personal contact, the possibilities are slim but not impossible. Once the schedule is on your hands it’s time to email your life away. Check the designer’s website and look for their PR email once you have that, write a short to the point message. Introduce yourself and mention that you would like an invite in exchange for media coverage on your social media accounts or blog.
Another place to find shows, especially from small designers is Eventbrite.com. I also found a lot of fashion-related events over there. Facebook is another place where I found runway shows and other cool events not only that you can join a group dedicated to helping other content creators with navigating NYFW. One that I’m a part of is the NYFW Support Group for SC Members. Also, look for PR agencies they are the ones with the connections to the best shows. Research which ones will be working during the upcoming season one way to find out is through Linkedin or google what agencies worked on NYFW last season. One agency that I’m familiar with and had to receive invitations from is The Riviere Agency.
The best place to find invitations is definitely GPS Radar. A lot of invites will go live all you have to do is to request the ones you want to go to. But the tricky part of GPS Radar is you have to apply to be accepted to use it. I was rejected twice before they accepted my application. Make sure to use a professional-looking email in your application that should help with your chances to get in. By any chance, you do not have any social media presence but still want to go to fashion week, there’s the option of volunteering. It allows you to be in the middle of all of the action and have access to all of the behind of scenes. As fashion week approaches check out LinkedIn for these positions.
Organize your agenda
It may be tempting to go to as many shows as possible but don’t do it. NYFW can be very stressful and the fashion shows could be happening far from each other. Prioritize which shows You really want to go and give yourself some time off in between. I like to organize all my events on a spreadsheet and have the time and place all in one place. This will help you tremendously and give you peace of mind. Also, give yourself some time to connect with other content creators! NYC is a great place to do some networking and also to meet with very cool people. Try to fit in your agenda any influencer meet-ups or social events.
I wish you all the luck in the world on your NYFW journey! remember to have fun and take it all in. if you have any questions feel free to send me a DM over Instagram @_rosariorose I’ll try to answer your message as quickly as possible.
