I am finally getting around to publishing this blog post – recapping my first New York Fashion Week 2019 experience! I am also answering some of your questions and sprinkling in my tips and advice, so here goes. If you want to catch all my stories from the trip, check out my NYFW story highlight in my bio.
Background
I didn’t think NYFW was in the works for me this year because to be honest, I hadn’t been proactively planning for it. It was a “further down the road” goal of mine and I didn’t think it would happen this early on.
I kept thinking (and from reading other bloggers’ experiences) that in order for it to happen, I needed to plan for it months in advance. But from my experience, that is not necessarily true. My trip was planned within a matter of 2 weeks. If you want to attend fashion week, yes, it doesn’t hurt to start planning for it early especially for high-profile shows and events, but openings can happen last minute too. My #1 advice is keep at it and keep following up with PR contacts – even while you are there! Have a plan but be flexible for last minute schedule changes.
The other reason why I wasn’t expecting to go this year is because I hesitated out of my own fears and negative thoughts to even go! Attending this iconic fashion event all by myself (if I might add), was stepping way out of my comfort zone. I purposely kept it to myself (I think Matt and my parents were the only ones that knew) – because I thought I would back out of it last minute. Matt kept pushing me to do it and I am so glad that he did. Plus, we have been thinking of visiting New York anyways, so when NYFW came in to play, we decided to make a trip out of it and Matt and the girls came up to meet me.
Now that you have the background, I will get into answering some of your questions and giving you my newbie perspective.
How Do You Get Invited to Shows and Events?
This was the number one question and I am breaking it down into the three approaches I used to connect and get invited to shows and events. New York Fashion Week is compilation of many runway shows, parties, presentations, pop-up shops, showrooms, etc. Some are open to all and some are invite-only and/or invite-only with a +1. It all depends on what you want to do but here is how I secured down several invites.
A. Start With Your Own Brands’ Contacts
The starting point in my planning was reaching out to all the brands that I work with or have worked with and ask if they are having events during NYFW. I also scoured the RewardStyle and the Rs NYFW Facebook groups to ask and chat with other bloggers about the events they are attending.
B. Email Pitches to PR Contacts
I kept up to date with the New York Fashion Week schedule on this site and this site. I sent many and I mean MANY emails to PR contacts I found on ModemOnline.
Email pitches to PR contacts need to be short and sweet. You should briefly introduce yourself with a few of your demographics and speak to how you would cover the event. Be ready to get a lot of “no” before any “yes”.
C. GPS Radar
I applied to the GPS Radar community a while back and I would highly recommend doing this from now! This is a great online community of fashion professionals and a resource for latest fashion news, announcements, events/shows. Once you are accepted as a member, you can request invitations to shows and invites and can RSVP within the site. I would also download the app version of this and keep it handy with you while you are attending NYFW to keep up with last minute show openings.
What I Did: My Schedule
I did not attend the entire week – and to be honest after a few days of multiple outfit changes, many uber rides but still so much walking, getting lost, and being in this high-paced environment, I was ready for home! I was there from Thursday to Sunday and that was plenty for me.
Day 1 – Thursday:
I took the train from DC to New York early morning and had the afternoon to get ready for my first event, the Tula party, celebrating their launch of their new Rose Glow Eye Balm (you can use VIVIANE20 on any Tula products by the way 😉). The dress code was pink and I went with this asymmetrical number from Revolve.
Right after the Tula party, my friend Asima from AsIMakeMyMark blog and I hopped into our Uber and off we went to our first runway show with Afffair. I loved this show! The dresses were beyond gorgeous and intricate with beading, feathers, sequins and jewels. The entire experience was magical. Side note, I spotted Jennifer Aydin (from the New Jersey Housewives) and her husband took our picture. She was so kind and gracious!
Day 2 – Friday:
I spent most of the day attending various brand meetings and showrooms. And this was the most rewarding part of the trip for me. I loved meeting with brands and seeing their showrooms, behind-the-scenes and first-hand insight to their upcoming collections and releases. Plus, they gift you with a few goodies on your way out.
With no time to waste, I sprinted back to my hotel for a quick outfit change and took what seemed to be my 100th Uber to the Ann Taylor social with Style Collective. I connected with old and new blogger friends and had the most insightful chats with some of the sweetest gals! By the end of the event, Matt and the girls had arrived and we had dinner together.
Day 3 – Saturday:
My Saturday didn’t end up going as originally planned. Initially, I was to attend another runway show, a pop-up event and a blogger meetup but last minute I got invited to the Rebecca Minkoff presentation. Coincidentally the one bag I was carrying around the entire trip was this gorgeous quilted bag from her line. So, call it fate?
The presentation was for her newest fall/winter collection inspired by the modern working woman. The room was setup with different scenes of the working woman modeling her latest apparel, handbags and accessories.
I am so glad I got to the presentation early because it got crowded and chaotic super fast as I was leaving it. I spotted some influencers like Tezza and Sona Gasparian. I also stopped Rocky Barnes on her way out and said a quick hello. I almost got a chance to meet Rebecca herself but her team closed her off in a corner so she can take a break. And by this point, I had seen the presentation and was ready to leave.
The presentation was at Pier 59 Studios in Chelsea, so Matt, the girls and I ended up having a late lunch there and then walking from Chelsea all the way to the Freedom Tower along the water. But we didn’t mind the walk because the weather was perfect and the walk was scenic. I highly recommend you visiting Chelsea next time you are in New York City. It is an eclectic part of the city with so much to do, see and eat!
Day 4 – Sunday:
I had a few more events to attend and another blogger meetup but to be honest by this point I was worn out and was ready to just play tourist. We ended up going back to Chelsea and exploring the High Line (which if you haven’t been, put this on your list for NYC!) before we headed home.
Is It Worth It to Go? Would You Go Again? What Would You Do Differently Next Time Around?
I am putting these questions together because I can answer them all in one breath. First off, yes, it is 100% worth it to go. While it was magical to attend runway shows, the true “bread and butter” of the trip for me, especially from a business perspective, was connecting and networking with brands and other influencers in the industry. I have exciting things coming up (that I will be sharing soon!) and I know these opportunities wouldn’t have come about if it wasn’t for the direct one-on-one connections I made during NYFW. I also left feeling inspired and more confident in my blog and content – and with the extra push to keep on going! That feeling alone was well worth the trip.
Well, that’s the end of my NYFW recap. If there is anything you are curious about or still have a question, leave it below, email me or send me a message via Facebook or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog to never miss a post. Thanks for stopping by!
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