How to Attend New York Fashion Week as a Content Creator: My Personal Guide

Have you ever dreamed of attending New York Fashion Week as a content creator, influencer, YouTuber, or blogger? If you’re nodding your head right now, you’re in the right place! Today, I’m sharing my complete guide to getting your foot in the door at one of fashion’s most prestigious events.

My NYFW Journey

Let me introduce myself if you’re new here. I’m a New York City-based content creator in my thirties who moved to the Big Apple from Argentina in July 2016. Just two months after arriving, I attended my first New York Fashion Week, and I haven’t looked back since!

This upcoming September will mark my 13th(!) NYFW, which honestly feels surreal to say out loud. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of attending runway shows for major designers, exclusive parties, presentations, and behind-the-scenes events. And you know what? If I could make it happen, you absolutely can too.

What Exactly is New York Fashion Week?

For those who might be new to the fashion world, NYFW (as you’ll often see it abbreviated) is exactly what it sounds like—a week filled with fashion shows, presentations, and parties that occur twice yearly in February and September.

New York is one of the «Big Four» fashion weeks globally, alongside London, Milan, and Paris. The event typically kicks off around Wednesday or Thursday of the first week of February or September and continues through the following Tuesday or Wednesday.

Something important to understand: these shows are always forward-looking. September shows feature Spring/Summer collections for the following year, while February showcases Fall/Winter collections. So at September 2022’s NYFW, designers presented their Spring/Summer 2023 collections.

The official schedule is usually published by the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) or on the official NYFW website approximately 4-6 weeks before the event begins.

The YouTube Video: My Complete NYFW Guide

Before I dive deeper, check out my video where I share all these tips and more visual details about attending NYFW:

How to Get Invited to NYFW Shows

Not too long ago, Fashion Week was an exclusive event reserved primarily for magazine editors and retail buyers. But the digital revolution changed everything! Now content creators, influencers, YouTubers, bloggers, and social media personalities have a legitimate place at these events.

So, how do you actually secure those coveted invitations? Here’s my step-by-step approach:

1. Find the Right Contacts

You need to connect with the people who handle show invitations. Here are three approaches that have worked for me:

Visit designer websites: Most have a contact or press page where you can find relevant email addresses
Search on LinkedIn: Look for PR or communications personnel for specific brands
Use the NYFW PR contact spreadsheet: In recent years, the official NYFW site has begun publishing a spreadsheet with PR contacts for participating designers

This last resource is incredibly valuable! I remember when these contacts were closely guarded secrets, but now they’re readily available. I’ll link the most recent spreadsheet at the end of this post.

2. Craft the Perfect Outreach Email

Your email is your first impression, so make it count! Here’s how I structure mine:

Subject line: Keep it simple and direct. I use formats like «NYFW September 2022 Request – [Your Name]» or «Content Creator Access Request – [Your Name/Handle]»
Introduction: Brief introduction of who you are and what content you create
Request: Clearly state which designer’s show you’d like to attend
Value proposition: THIS IS CRUCIAL! Explain why you deserve to be there. Include:
- Your follower count across platforms (with links)
- Audience demographics and why they care about fashion
- Examples of previous fashion week coverage or relevant content
- What specific coverage you plan to create if invited

One strategy I started implementing a couple of seasons ago is adding: «If you’re unable to grant me access to this particular show, please let me know if you’re handling any other shows this season.» Many PR agencies manage multiple designers, including emerging ones that might be easier to access. This can be your foot in the door!

3. Timing Is Everything

Send your requests approximately four weeks before Fashion Week begins. Remember, seats are limited, and hundreds (if not thousands) of people are vying for them. The earlier you reach out, the better your chances.

If you don’t hear back within 1-2 weeks, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a polite follow-up email.

4. Managing Responses (or Lack Thereof)

You might receive one of three responses:

An invitation (yay!)
A polite decline (don’t get discouraged)
No response at all (fairly common)

If you receive a negative response or no response, don’t take it personally! Fashion Week is incredibly competitive, and even established content creators don’t get into every show they request. There’s always next season to try again.

You Got Invited! Now What?

If you do receive an invitation, it will typically come as an email with either:

A seat assignment (usually indicated by a letter/number combination)
A standing-room ticket

My pro tip: Arrive early, even if you have a seat assignment. For standing room, early arrival might mean snagging a seat if someone doesn’t show up (which happens more often than you’d think).

The Magic of Being There

There’s truly nothing like experiencing a runway show in person. The energy, the music, the collective anticipation as the lights dim before the first model emerges—it’s electric and unlike anything else.

But remember why you’re there: to create content! Take photos, videos, notes—whatever you promised in your outreach email. And once you’ve published your content, don’t forget to send links back to your contact. This seemingly small gesture goes a long way in building relationships that can lead to future invitations.

Building Fashion Week Relationships

The secret to becoming a Fashion Week regular isn’t necessarily having a massive following—it’s about building genuine relationships with PR professionals and brands. When you deliver the content you promised and maintain professional communication, you’re setting yourself up for success in future seasons.

Final Thoughts

Attending New York Fashion Week as a content creator takes persistence, professionalism, and patience. It might not happen on your first try, but with the right approach, it’s absolutely achievable.

Remember that every established fashion influencer started somewhere! My first NYFW experience in 2016 came after multiple email campaigns and plenty of networking. Now, thirteen seasons later, I still get butterflies when those invitations start rolling in.

If you have any questions about attending NYFW or fashion week in general, drop them in the comments below! I’ll do my best to answer them all.

And if you found this post helpful, I’d love for you to share it with a fellow content creator who dreams of attending Fashion Week!

Additional resources:

Have you ever attended Fashion Week? Are you planning to apply for an upcoming season? Let me know in the comments!

xo, Flor.

Sígueme

Flor

Find me on: Instagram