How to go to NYFW – Blogger Tips

This is a common question I get every year during and after fashion week, how do I get into NYFW? Can anyone go to NYFW? What do you do at NYFW?  Are only some of the questions I get! NYFW is not how it was my first year there. Several years ago it was all at the Lincoln Center and it was much harder to get in and out of as there was only one main entrance to everything. Shows, hair apts, interviews, and brand previews of the next season. Now, it is much more spread out. Part of this I love because I literally see every suburb in the city. Other parts of this I do not love because I make it to a lot fewer things due to the time spent in ubers or cabs running from SOHO to Upper East Side and then back down to Meatpacking. But, you want to go to NYFW? Buy a ticket to LGA and go girl! You will see SO many things even if you do not get into one show or event! Some years they even have shows on the streets or in storefronts.

Now, if you are a blogger and want to get into PR meetings and have seats at shows – your prep is a LOT more work and very time-consuming!

Each year you go, it will be a little easier because your email typically stays on the brand’s list!

— 2 months before fashion week —

So, 2 months out, I usually start this the week after Miami Swim Week in July, I start emailing brands that are based out of New York or other brands that I have seen at fashion week in years passed. I also reach out to all of my PR companies based out of the city as well as new ones that I would love to work with the next year. These PR companies are the events you see me going to with anywhere from 5-500 brands in their one office/showroom. Keep in mind – they probably do not have their schedules of appointments yet, but its good to get on their radar so they can start following you and watching you! If they have never heard of you before 2 weeks prior to fashion week – odds are, they wont want to meet with you!

At these appointments, they are all a little different. At the majority, you pick out products you would like to try out and share once you get home! (Bring an extra suitcase for this stuff, or ask them to ship it back for you – which is what I did this year). These showrooms are weekday hours only. This is their 9-5 job and you will not be able to get an appointment on the weekend.

During this 2 months prior time, it is also a good time to start reaching out to hotels to request a comped room or media rate in exchange for social/blog promotions. You will get a lot of no’s for comped rooms to every yes, only because this time of year is SO busy in the city and they are booked or have already given out their allotted gifted rooms. These comped rooms either go to the girls with the most engaged following or to first come first serve. Every hotel is different. If they can not comp your room – ask if they can offer a media rate!

This year we stayed at the Omni Berkshire. I have never in my life stayed in a hotel this nice or this big in NYC. It honestly felt like we weren’t even in NYC the room was so big, plus you couldn’t hear any outside noise, which is so unusual in the city. We had 4 girls who all were willing to post for the hotel and each of us have unique and engaged readers – this helps. Get a group of great girls and make them your travel buddies! I have to be honest and say – I don’t know if I can ever stay anywhere else when I go back to the city due to how nice, friendly and accommodating this Omni hotel was. It was in a GREAT location near tons of amazing shopping in the Upper East Side and we felt safe coming and going from the hotel daily. ((There have been many other times I didn’t feel safe at all in the hotels we were staying at))

— 1 month before fashion week —

1 month prior to fashion week is when I start scanning the GPS Radar app for show invites that can be requested. I also start reaching out to pr companies who hosted shows in the years before. There are some websites that will sell these lists of emails. I personally haven’t purchased them, I am under the impression they can get pretty pricey. I have my list that I have built up over the past 4 years. But if you google “NYFW contact list” you will see lists you can purchase, or if you have a good friend that has gone before- ask her to share any contacts she is comfortable with. By no means, PLEASE do not email someone you do not know and ask for contacts, this is so rude and insulting! In this industry, we work hard for our contacts and relationships we build and do not want it to be taken for granted or overlooked! The more times you go to NYFW and the bigger your blog (Not just IG followers. We are talking engagement, page views and all around social media) gets – the less you will have to do any of these outreaches!

In your invitation outreach email – keep it short sweet and to the point. For example, I write:

——-

Hi XXXXX!

I will keep this short and sweet as I know you are busy preparing for the XXX show (or event) on Day, Date! I am writing in hopes to request an invitation to attend the XXX Show (event, preview, presentation) in exchange for social media coverage! I am attaching my media kit for more information if needed!

Thank you,

Jessica Fay

Founder|Editor – Lipstick Heels and a Baby Blog

(have all of your links here)

**Media Kit attachment**

So, some may never open your media kit bc they already know who you are, or they don’t have room to accept any more entries, but the last thing you want is for them to feel like they have to email you again to get more info out of you! You don’t want them to feel like you are making their job harder than it has to be.

Some of these companies will email you back immediately, and some you will never hear from until you get the invitation in your inbox a week before the show! Yes, they do not send invites out until last minute! Sometimes, I have even gotten them the week of the actual show!

When it comes to the private parties after the shows, this will come with the relationships you build with your PR contacts as well as the friendships you make with other influencers who get invited. But, they are so much fun and you see so many people there, so I highly recommend going if you get an invite!

— 2 weeks before fashion week —

If you never got a response to your original pitch, follow up now. Odds are you will get some sort of response as they are in FULL email, event and invite mode. You will also start getting a few invitations at this point. Mostly parties, presentations and showroom visits as the seat assignments for actual shows are not made until about 24 hours before the show.

Tip: Only say YES to things you know you can 100% attend. Brands and PR companies know when you no-show and you do not want to get the reputation as a blogger who always flakes or can’t be depended on.

The first few years, In between shows, I would set up showroom appointments or meetings with brands, but between the shows and the showroom visits, I felt like my head was going to literally fall off and my feet were so swollen. Yes, you’re excited to go to NYFW but don’t forget the importance of your sanity and the lack of cabs and difficulty of ubers getting to you on one-way streets in NYC – so don’t schedule so many meetings your head falls off too. I only reach out to the brands/PR agencies that I’ve cultivated a great relationship or are in hopes to create one with over the next year. This is a great way to make face time with brands you love and get to know each other on a personal level, it helps tremendously throughout the year.

That being said – decide what’s most important to you, your business, your followers and your future. For me, its brand and PR meetings, for others, it’s going to the shows – neither way is right or wrong. Do what’s best for you.

–1 week before fashion week —

I am about to show you your biggest tip you will NEED for your fashion week to be seamless!

Create a spreadsheet with EVERYTHING on it. Go through your emails and put everything in this document. From flight to meals, to photo shoots, to outfit changes, to when you need to take a poop! Literally! It will be your biggest lifesaver to make sure you don’t forget any appointments and leave yourself enough time between things. It is also great to include all the girls that will be staying in your hotel with you – that way you can share ubers and catch showroom visits and shows together! We use google docs and just add everyone to the edit list.

Confirm your hotel and flight and start packing. Do not ruin your feet in the airport with heels or boots! Wear tennis shoes or slides and save your feet. Also, any daytime meeting is a great time to wear flats too, as it’s almost impossible to walk around 15 hours a day in heels. I learned this the hard way a few times over and over again, but seriously..pack flats and comfortable shoes and feet masks for while you sleep!!! Pack more outfits than you think you will need because you will never feel like you have enough clothes when you and the girls are getting ready.

The city is extremely busy this time of year, so if there are any restaurants you and the girls are wanting to get into – make reservations to avoid not being able to get in.

— NYFW —

Ya’ll have fun! You are actually there, and this is so many girls dream!!! Do not freak out if you are realizing you overbooked your schedule the first year – everyone does it, but just know I warned you not to. LOL! Just email the brands as soon as you realize your going to be late or not make it so they have some sort of heads up! They get it tho…as long as you keep them informed! Hope this helps and hope you enjoy your fashion week!!!!

XO