Tips On How To Sneak Into The Shows...

[Amillion]

bump!

so my friend and i (both from vancouver BC) will both be in NYC for the start of NYFW, and also to attend the chictopia conference. we were hoping to maybe get into a few shows and even afterparties (but i'm not holding my breath). i've read through the whole thread but was wondering if there's any recent advice/tips for getting into some shows without invites? we will both be very nonchalant-chic so hopefully that will help... does anyone want to meet up? better yet, does anyone have any invites they don't want???

Dress the part first and foremost. if you want detailed info, PM me if you like

 

[lafindesiecle]

I live here in NYC and would love to meet up with anyone and everyone... are there any other threads here for NYFW meet-ups and networking specifically?? invites and schedules for parties etc I think are ultimately equally useful/interesting for networking i think... any way for us all to share info etc, coordinate or swap party invites etc??

I work in music (fashion blogger, music publicist... ha) and am so used to this stuff in music but am just not comfortable enough sneaking around and whatnot here....

 

[octopi]

i would love to do a TFS meet in NYC! as mentioned previously, i'll be there in early Feb so let me know if anyone wants to get together and network

 

[Street_a_Licious]

lol

good luck to get into Haute Couture shows. you'll need ALL the luck in the world.

 

[triple_full]

Try this if you are desperate and shameless...
Pretent to be heavily pregnant (wear a fake bump if neccessary). Approach the guards just before the show starts so there are less crowds. Pretent to be histerically tearful and distressed. Say to the guards something along the lines of "my husbands inside....please, i really need to see him....its incredibly important... but his phones switched off....."
When they look through the guest list look for a male journalists name and screech "thats him thats him....".
Hopefully the guards will be so freaked out that you will go into labour in front of them, they will let you in (nobody wants to be seen being cruel to a pregnant woman). Once your inside look for a seat in the back. Hopefully, someone will even give up their seat for you. Try to make conversation with a straight looking with a man nearby so you can walk out with him and fool the guards on exit...

 

[kutschi]

Hey guys,


Nice thread.

I've got a question, I'm a photojournalism student and I would love to cover a show at London Fashion Week or maybe what's happening backstage or the crowd or something.
Do you have any tips on how to get an accreditation when working as a freelancer? (not for a publication)
Are there any shows that are easy to get into?
Are they very strict about photographers?

Or, does anyone know of any smaller fashion events happening between February and March?


Looking forward to your replies

 

[lafindesiecle]

^^ i would try to pick a smaller designer and find out their PR company and email directly -- a really nice email saying you are a student who would like to shadow/take some photos backstage before or after the show for your thesis or something. people are often very nice to students and if you are very professional and polite i imagine some folks wouldn't mind -- I don't know how these things work in fashion but in music people are usually okay with that sort of thing, and I imagine it varies very much between designers. I doubt it would work with anyone huge, but you never know. I fnot the runway show, maybe they would let you come to a practice or a fitting or after the show or a party. Worse comes to worst, you could just do street shots or do people coming out of the tents / events / etc -- certainly plenty of stylish people running around, and what with all the street fashion craze I think you'd actually probably find many a willing subject/young things desperate for their 5 minutes of internet fame on the street! ha.

 

[octopi]

kutschi:

if you look on the NYFW website and go to the PRESS section(http://www.mbfashionweek.com/newyork/fall2010/press/index.html) there's information on how to obtain a press-pass for companies as well as freelancers, although you do have to submit a bunch of things to prove your profession. otherwise like someone mentioned, you can send a polite and professional email to the PR department of a design house explaining your intentions, maybe attach a few pieces from your portfolio if applicable? TIP: i emailed the PR department at Cynthia Steffe today and actually got a quick response back--which is quite nice and not at all expected. maybe you could try there good luck!

 

[kutschi]

thank you so much for your tips lafindesiecle and octopi

my tutor just helped me set up an email to send out, we'll see how far i'll get with it B)

otherwise i'll follow your advice and just take shots from outside the event, could be interesting as well

do you know anything about Fashion Weekend? Would that be worth a shot? Is it interesting enough to cover?


Thanks again for your replies

 

[octopi]

^no prob! but sorry i misunderstood--i thought you were trying to get into NYFW but really you want to get into LFW, sorry my bad!! but good luck nonetheless and i hope you end up with some amazing shots/stories from fashion week! be sure to share them with us

ps. i don't know anything about fashion weekend, is that just in the UK?

 

[lafindesiecle]

Let's say I have a crappy blog but am also launching a column with a small-but-locally-reputable magazine -- what actually are the chances of the PR contacts from lesser known designers getting back to me? I'm looking to go to Risto Bimbiloski, Jen Kao... Rad Hourani and maybe Preen if possible, etc... nothing at the tents at all really. I've got all the publicists email addresses etc -- is this totally gauche? I figure it can't hurt to ask... More or less figure I'll phrase my emails the same way as the emails I get from publications asking to cover concerts etc.

Also, I work in the same building as a few different designers and am always, like, chillin' in the elevator with a few names we'd all throw around here or whatever. Would it be totes inappropriate for me to ask nicely if I can cover or attend any of their events? Especially seeing as some of them are in my buildling or on our roof...

 

[lafindesiecle]

to answer my own question -- five emails and two hours later and there's a ton of invitations in the mail to me as we speak. WAY EASIER than expected!

 

[Bellaly]

So you just write to the designers to ask for an invitation and you get one?

 

[lafindesiecle]

Well, I'm launching a style column with a Brooklyn-based magazine as well as having a decent-looking blog, so I have (really minor, but seems that's all you need) soooome amount of 'press cred,' and I work in PR so more or less can handle writing a professional-sounding email. So it wasn't like HEY CAN I GO 2 THIS PLZ, you know? Just was polite + professional + typed as if I knew what I was doing/saying (if you act important, most people will think you are as long as you aren't causing them trouble), and it worked.

I knew the direct emails of the publicists through friends + being nosy with other agencies, which probably also helped -- but basically I just sent some really short professional emails saying who I was, what I did, and why I wanted to go to the show, would it be possible to get an invite, and almost everyone got back within an hour asking me for my address and thanking me for the request. Relatively low-hanging fruit -- I'm not talking Rodarte here, like I went for more up and coming designers that are probably more eager for press rather than fending it off -- but still cool stuff.

 

[Bellaly]

Well, I'm launching a style column with a Brooklyn-based magazine as well as having a decent-looking blog, so I have (really minor, but seems that's all you need) soooome amount of 'press cred,' and I work in PR so more or less can handle writing a professional-sounding email. So it wasn't like HEY CAN I GO 2 THIS PLZ, you know? Just was polite + professional + typed as if I knew what I was doing/saying (if you act important, most people will think you are as long as you aren't causing them trouble), and it worked.

Yeah of course, that was not what I meant. If you would write it like this...uhm...
But such a cool thing, and a bit exaggeration won't hurt

 

[christrinity]

As someone who works in PR and has to be the PR "b*tch" at the door of every one of our shows in Paris I would definitely have to agree that turning up, playing nice, and asking for space in standing can help a lot. And I would be one of the quite strict PRs on a door. It helps however if it's a venue where the PR can see the venue behind them (not always the case!!) because then we can see if there is plenty of room left in standing to let the nice people in.

However it does help if you have some connection to the fashion world and appear somewhat "professional". for me there is nothing more annoying than people coming up screaming and hyperactive at the door (or via email before the show) saying how much they looooove fashion etc;;;unless they seem to be really super cool, it might be hypocritical but it's a fact of life! On the other hand acting like you are entitled to a ticket when if you actually were you would have been invited is not cool either lol!!

 

[Ed..]

^ Ouch!

Yeah, based on my experience with Paris menswear this season (FW10), I would not recommend going to shows without proper invites. If you still want to go, then come early to the venues and talk nicely to the PRs. It can be nerve-wrecking, but if you think you deserve an invite, you really have to convince them and be professional. You will not only get an invite, but also trust and friendship

 

[gossiping]

would you say london is probably the easiest to sneak in?

 

[Versace-Goddess]

Any idea how to sneak into the upcoming Versace show? That´s my biggest dream, be there at once.

 

[adidem]

Yeah you have to be at least 12 years old ....
-
Kidding a side - probably no - unless you're coming with a screaming baby

Tavi LOL.