New York Fashion Week: Do's and Don'ts/What to Expect
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Fall/Winter 2020 is just around the corner (February 6 - 13, 2020)! To get ready for the highly coveted week in fashion, I decided to write about my first experience being invited to NYFW for Spring/Summer 2020. Also, I thought I would create lists of do’s and don’ts and what to expect for those who are attending a few fashion shows for their first time.
Attending NYFW was such an amazing and surreal experience for me! It was very special because a semester (Spring 2018) before I graduated from college, my department was having a competition where one fashion student had the opportunity to represent Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts at NYFW. I had to write an essay explaining why I wanted to attend the event. Unfortunately, I did not win the competition. I was devastated! Therefore, I was so thrilled when I checked my email and saw my first invite to a NYFW fashion show the next year (September 2019). God heard my cries and answered my prayers! :)
I attended two fashion shows sponsored by The Council of Aspiring American Fashion Designers (CAAFD) at Pier 59 Studios. The first fashion show (first video below) featured a collection by the India-born fashion designer, Vaishali Shadangule. Vaishali S. is known for creating garments with classic Indian handwoven textiles. The second fashion show focused on a variety of fashion designers who are well-known in their native countries, but trying to make a name for themselves in the United States. Designers included Temraza (second video below), Maria Sonia, Phoenix Ba, Yufash, Moon Chang, and A Humming Way.
NYFW: VAISHALI S. SS20 Runway Show at CAAFD - Pier 59 Studios - #NewYorkFashionWeek ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/FashionWeekPro
CAAFD EMERGING DESIGNER: TEMRAZA SS20 #NYFW: Temraza SS20 Runway Show at CAAFD - Pier 59 Studios - #NewYorkFashionWeek ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/FashionWeekPro
Prepping
DO plan outfits ahead of time if possible
Most of my invitations were sent to me last minute, but if you know for sure that you will be attending NYFW, then please plan outfits in advance. I had a completely different outfit picked out before I settled with the one that I have on in pictures. I ordered a few pieces from an online store; however, when they were delivered (the night before the show) they did not fit properly. The shirt dress that I ordered fit like a regular shirt. Also, the rhinestone belt that I wanted to wear was super small and it was labeled as one size fits all! Thank God for my mother because she let me borrow her oversized grey blouse that had a cut out back. To be honest, I think this outfit was better than the one I had planned on wearing. Also, please wear comfortable shoes! You will be waiting and standing for a while.
DO book your hotel room in advance and constantly be on the look out for low rates
I stayed at Marriott’s new Envue, Autograph Collection boutique hotel in Weehawken, New Jersey. I did not book a hotel in New York City because 1) the prices were high and 2) I did not want to drive into New York City. Therefore, I settled for Weehawken, which is a city in New Jersey that is extremely close to NYC. My hotel was conveniently located next to the Lincoln Tunnel. The cost of my room with my federal government discount and excluding tax was $175. For some, this price might be steep, but compared to the hotels in NYC that were $300+, this was a steal. Although I booked my hotel room with ease, I still looked around for cheaper rates. I noticed that the prices for Marriott hotels fluctuate throughout the day, so I continued to view the prices every few hours to make sure I was getting the best deal. If you are a part of the federal government, military, a rewards program (like Marriott’s Bonvoy program, which I am a member), honor society, etc., then this is the best time to see if they offer discounts on hotels!
DON’T RSVP yes or not respond to invitations to fashion shows that you know you will not attend
Before I attended NYFW, I read on various blogs that you should not RSVP yes to fashion shows you will not attend. You should not RSVP yes to shows you cannot make it to because brands know when you are a no-show. There are lists of names of people who RSVP’ed yes. Therefore, you will not be invited to anymore of the fashion shows if you are a no-show.
DO RSVP No to shows that you will not attend
It is better to RSVP No to the shows you will not be able to attend than to not respond at all. I highly recommend emailing the brand sponsoring the fashion show to thank them for the invite and graciously decline it.
DO invite a stylish friend to accompany you if you are scared to attend alone.
NYFW can be overwhelming, especially if it is your first time. To calm your nerves, I suggest inviting a fashion loving friend to join you. I chose not to have anyone come with me because I felt that attending alone would help me get out of my comfort zone. I was nervous, but I was proud of myself for going alone.
Before & During the Shows
Expect to do a lot of waiting
You are expected to arrive to the shows no later than the time specified on the invite; however, even if you get to the venue early, you will still have to do a lot of waiting. I remember waiting about 45 minutes for one of the shows to start.
DO try to mingle with others before the show
Because you are waiting a long time, this is the perfect opportunity to mingle with the people next to you. I ended up connecting with a young woman who has her own luxury scarf line. We exchanged business cards and we follow each other on Instagram.
DO bring your business cards if you have them
If you’re a blogger, brand, or just trying to get into the fashion industry, then I highly recommend bringing your business cards with you. It will be easy for people to remember and connect with you after the shows. Your business card doesn’t have to be super fancy, but be sure to put all pertinent information on them, such as your full name, name of brand/blog, social media handles, and etc. You can always format the cards online and then print them out yourself or at your local Staples.
DON’T complain
Please do not be the person who complains about the wait, seating, collection, and etc. You will ruin it for the person sitting next to you who might be really excited to be there. No one wants to be around a negative nancy. Also, you do not want to burn any bridges. You never know, you could be seated next to an instrumental figure in the industry and not even know it.
Expect to possibly be squished when seated
During the Vaishali S. fashion show, I was seated in the front row. However, I ended up being squished between two other people because we needed to make room for the photographers sitting in my row.
DON’T stretch your legs out on the runway
I know you want to stretch your legs because they can easily get cramped, but please refrain. Having your legs stretched out could possibly cause the models to fall. As a result, the show could end up being a complete disaster and the models would be embarrassed.
DON’T use flash photography
Again, this is a distraction for the models.
DON’T sit in a reserved seat and take a gift bag that was not assigned to you
At some of the shows, you will see seats that are assigned to particular guests. These guests could be family members of the designer or high profile fashion professionals. I know it’s tempting to sit in those seats if the honorable guest did not show, but please do not. During the CAAFD show, a few of the guests who had reserved seating left after one collection. Once those guests left, some of the people in my row (second row) decided to take their seats. I personally thought that was tacky.
DO take pictures/videos and have fun
NYFW is an exhilarating experience and I believe you should document every moment of it. Take pictures and videos on your cell phone or professional camera. Just be careful of obstructing the view of professional photographers and other guests.
I hope you enjoyed the blog entry about my first NYFW experience. If you have any other pointers or questions, feel free to comment below. ❤️