So, Seoul Fashion Week AW15 starts tomorrow, and it got me thinking about how accessible these bi-annual style fests are to the everyday person – and the aspiring blogger. Sure, tickets are coveted, secretive, and shows are … rather elitist to generalise – but it can be done. With the right mindset, attitude (both internally and externally), and enthusiasm, anyone can be rubbing shoulders with the fashion elite as models strut their stuff in designers’ latest offerings.

Well, almost anyone.

Now, I’m by no means a fashion week veteran, but there are a few tips I can ‘disclose’ if you’re wanting to get into shows at whatever week you’re wishing to jet off to. Or even just take part if shows aren’t your thing / seem thoroughly overwhelming. Obviously Paris and New York may have much stricter requirements than Tokyo or Sydney – but nothing is impossible.

So, to achieve ticketing dreams… what are my tips?

Matilda & I – shot by spicyfashion

1 – Work out why you want to go

Are you wanting to see rad street style, watch shows, or get photographed, basically. Your Fashion Week end goal will definitely change how you approach  the whole scenario in the first place.  For my first ever season, I wanted to experience, enjoy myself and see what it was all about. I spent one day at Somerset House and fell in love. For seasons after that, my objectives changed and so did my preparation.

– spectators – pick a day (saturday and monday are usually the best for LFW), dress for the weather and go with an open mind. It can be a tad overwhelming, but this is, by far, the easiest way to be involved in a fashion week.

– bloggers – are you wanting to photograph? get photographed? See shows? Network?  The bottom line is that you are a ‘well dressed’ spectator, with tickets. Be as gaudy and as out there as you want if your aim is to appear on street style blogs, but peacocking is …. kind of frowned upon.

But! Come prepared for any eventuality. Business cards or portfolios on a memory stick will help you out when someone asks for your contact details, rather than having the misfortune of misspelled names. 

2 – do your research

Lots of people want to attend shows. The British Fashion Council has requirements to apply for blogger tickets to LFW through their website – so it would be a good idea to take a look and boost your stats/content accordingly. But this doesn’t mean that they are the sole way to see shows.

There are lots of up and coming names that are featured at fashion weeks every year, and a lot of these young designers have accessible social media or an internet presence for people to learn about them and what they do. Utilise this. The worst thing you can do is tip #3 without research – you become just another person in a sea begging for tickets. Research designers that inspire you, that create collections you would love to see.

img: tumblr

3 – contact press teams

See why research is important? Enthusiasm – genuine enthusiasm – will be your best friend if you decide to contact press teams – but that sort of energy only really comes from loving something an awful lot, generally it’s a lot easier and less daunting knowing about a designers work when you want to tell people why you want to see it. Usually, designers press contacts are released well before the season starts – so contact them in good time. Two weeks before a show is not going to look ace to anybody. 

I wholly suggest that people try contacting press teams. If you ‘sell yourself’ well enough, the size and reach of your blog won’t matter as much. It’s good press to be talked about.  But remember that professionalism is key when sending emails. Put a little bit about you/your blog and detail why you’d like to attend the show.  At the very worst, someone emails back saying ‘not this season’. 

Also, don’t email every press team – cherry pick the designers that you know you’d do an ace write-up on. 

4 – know when the shows are, they aren’t always full

A definite sneaky one, but when shows aren’t full, doors are opened to the public. It’s great – but you have to be swift to queue and know when the shows are… and please remain polite to the door staff/others attending!

5 – buy tickets

I will just stress that not every fashion week actually sells tickets. Fashion is an (annoyingly) elitist industry a lot of the time – and so many shows are invite only. However, I was pretty damned surprised to know that SFW sells tickets to certain catwalks on the day. Don’t know how the rather large gaggle of middle-/high-schoolers clamouring to get tickets to see certain models-turned-actors or more famous models walk didn’t tip me off… but hey. 

Generally, fellow bloggers, I would say come to fashion week for the experience. Get involved with others in the industry and have mini-shoots around the venues. Warning: photographers may flock. Network! I’ve already said it but really, come prepared with business cards, or be remembered better with portfolio/business memory sticks (seriously, being remembered is brilliant). Don’t expect anything, and have fun. 

Also, attend local fashion weeks and write about them! It’ll stand you in good stead when people peruse to perhaps send you tickets… because sometimes, we get that one, brilliant press team that pops an invite in the post. 

What are your tips to getting to Fashion Week (wherever that is for you) if you’ve been? Do you agree with my tips or have anything else to add?  Which country would you most like to attend? I’m dying to go back to Seoul, in case you couldn’t tell – but Tokyo and Sweden are also pretty high on my list.

Oh, and New York. 😉

♥

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*this post was sponsored by usbmakers.com – all words and opinions are my own