3 Tips for Scoring Invites to New York Fashion Week

Like most fashion lovers, I dreamed of attending Fashion Week for as long as I can remember. The glamorous scene in Sex and the City that shows the girls front row for a runway show mesmerized me. The brightly lit catwalks and rows of rich and famous style influencers always seemed so unobtainable. Part of me thought it was an impossible goal, but another part of me never gave up hope. Then in 2017, the impossible happened and I was invited to my first fashion show. I had an amazing time and for some reason, I still had my doubts that I would ever be able to experience something so fabulous ever again. However, this year I finally silenced those doubts!

After doing some research on New York Fashion Week, I got some incredibly helpful advice from one of my favorite blogs, Keep Calm and Chiffon. The post I read suggested downloading an app called Fashion GPS. After getting approved to join, I was able to request fashion show invitations from the PR companies behind the brands — and voilà! Thanks to the combination of my job as a journalist and my side hustle as a blogger, I was able to land a seat at four different fashion shows! Now, I have to admit, it’s not always easy to score that invite. A couple PR people asked for proof of where I work and have written for.

With all of that being said, here are three tips I have that might be able to help you land an invite.

Do your research early. Check out the CFDA Fashion Week calendar a couple months in advance. Start researching the shows you’ll be interested in and trying to build relationships with the PR people. If this is your first time trying to attend NYFW, then aim for smaller shows or presentations that you may have a better chance at getting into. Even if it’s a designer you’ve never heard of, the experience is worth it!
Sell yourself to the PR people behind the brand. Are you a blogger, YouTuber or journalist? If so, you totally have a shot at getting into a show! Find the correct email for the PR company behind the brand and reach out to them. Finding a specific person is preferred, but there is usually press contact info on a brand’s website. And when you do reach out, make sure you focus on what you can offer them — whether that be a mention in a video, an Instagram Story or a written post.
If you can’t get into shows, look for other Fashion Week events. During Fashion Week there are tons and tons of events, parties, and presentations. Those are usually much easier to get into since space isn’t as limited. Try reaching out to PR contacts for those or even going with a friend as a plus one. It never hurts to ask! It can also be fun to just dress up and hang out around the venues. You can take pictures of the incredible street style and maybe even get some shots taken of you!

Here are photos from all of the shows I saw for NYFW Fall/Winter 2019: