PT 1: INVITED
(WORDS + PHOTOS by M)
Over the last few seasons there has been a growing shift towards greater inclusivity and accessibility at Fashion Week which began with the downfall of extensive gatekeeping and a surge in public interest.
In the past, shows were not only held behind closed doors, they were reserved exclusively for buyers and executive clientele.
The concept of "Fashion Parades" or live model shows is alleged to have originated with Charles Frederick Worth in the 60s –
The first "public" fashion show is considered to be Thierry Muggler’s 1984 presentation,
where individuals could purchase tickets to attend.
In the 90’s Fashion began to gain eyes via runway screenings on networks such as FTV however, it wasn't until the late 2000s, with the advent of social media, that fashion shows became widely accessible to the general public, leading to the democratisation of Fashion Week and the birth of what we refer to today as “fashion influencer culture”.
In the present tense, once-well kept gates have opened, presenting both opportunities and challenges;
a rise in publicity stunts and protests in 2023 left designers fuming and security scratching their heads.
It is interesting to note that the ascension of fashion (back) into a political space can be considered somewhat progressive – or rather, that progressive actors have rediscovered the runway as a stage for political theatre.
HOW TO GET INVITED?
BRING VALUE TO THE FUNCTION
It only makes sense that savvy producers have a majority of the seatings allocated to industry professionals who promise a higher likelihood of engaging with the designer directly and in a financial sense:
Buyers find themselves at the top of the food chain, which is fair, if one considers the fact that the concept of "The Runway Show" originated primarily for their convenience.
Relevant fashion councils and associations are followed in no specific order by;
The press, photographers, bloggers,
Industry professionals (stylists, makeup artists, producers and even rival designers)
public figures, celebrities, influencers and finally,
the designers and models involved in the various shows (obviously).
If you fall under one of the people listed "above", you have a higher likelihood of being invited to shows, as
the allocation of a space in your name has higher chances of yielding a return on investment and
while it helps to have a strong following, I can personally testify that courtesy is a key that opens many doors –
If you are not a fashion professional you may need to question WHY you wish to attend fashion week.
Are you an enthusiast? Perhaps you have ambitions to participate but haven’t yet made the contacts necessary to get you through the door, and you don’t know where to start, fashion week can still be for you
– There are many special events and shows that are open to the public
(That however is a topic for another day)
Even if you are a newcomer, or not on any PR's hotlist, there is always the option to apply for tickets to certain select shows directly via official fashion week portals - this option is the most viable for players who have not yet got their foot in the door.
If you're confident and good with words you can always find out more about sponsors or participating designers/brands and message their press teams directly (contact information can usually be found on most official webpages), while it's not a guarantee that you may get a positive response, this approach puts you as close as possible to the organisational teams behind a show and is usually the most lucrative.
Another tip is to sign up to newsletters.When visiting a designer’s website you will often be prompted to sign up for a copy of their newsletter. It’s not uncommon for PRs to extend invitations to seasonal shows and special events to loyal customers who are already conveniently positioned on their mailing lists,
you could also find yourself on the receiving end of constant invitations with little to no effort.
What if you get no positive responses?Sometimes things just don’t work out, you could give upor, you could take the bold risk of stepping out and trying your luck
you would be surprised at how far a polite smile and the right outfit can get you.
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