For the fashion girlies, there’s no better time in the year than fashion week (or fashion month if you follow all four fashion capitals). A whole week where you can pull out your coolest fits, attend shows from some of the best designers and party hard at exclusive after parties. Of course there’s a catch: this is not an event for the general public. The people you see strolling the streets during fashion week are editors, buyers, directors, bloggers and influencers who were all invited to come.

But don’t let that discourage you. There is still an opportunity to be a part of the best time of the year — even as a fashion student. If you’re looking to be able to go to the next NYFW, here is a beginner’s guide on how to volunteer for NYFW.

Step 1: Know who’s showing

Before doing anything, it’s important to know which designers are going to be at fashion week. Don’t bother looking at old schedules since they change every season. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) typically posts the NYFW schedule a month or so in advance, so you have plenty of time to decide who interests you and who you want to see. The list also provides the times of the show, so you can plan out who works with your availability and who doesn’t.

Step 2: Find the PR list

Once you have made a list of the designers and/or presentations you are interested in then you should look for the PR list. On the PR list consists of all the contact info for every designer that will be a part of fashion week. While this may seem like a daunting task, it’s actually much easier than it sounds. On the NYFW website you can scroll all the way down to “Press” and on that page is a direct link to the PR list. It consists of the PR agency, email address and contact name for all the designers. The amount of time saved with this list is a life saver. 

Step 3: Write a pitch

Once you know what shows you like and who to contact, you can finally draft your pitch. This step is crucial if you want to participate in NYFW. Since you’re not getting an invite sent to you, you have to convince the agency you are worth an invite and/or a valuable volunteer. 

Start the draft with a quick intro of who you are. Keep it quick and concise — time is money and no one is interested in reading everything about you. Stick to your name and feel free to add in that you’re a current student. After that, talk about what value you can bring to the show. Maybe you’ve done a fashion internship and know what the industry is like. Or you have past fashion show experience and know what to expect when helping out. 

If you want to attend as a guest, write about a blog you may have or the following you might have on social media. Anything you think that will make you look worth coming to the show, add in the pitch. You can end the pitch with a respectful thanks for their time and how excited you are to hear back.

Step 4: Email! Email! Email!

Once you’ve drafted your pitch, send those emails! Try to get this step done sooner rather than later once you know who to contact. If you wait right before fashion week starts you may run the risk of not getting in because of limited space. Schedule time to send as many emails as you can at once, so you don’t extend the process. After the emails are sent, all that’s left is the waiting. Keep in mind that this is a busy time and you will most likely not hear back from everyone. Don’t let that deter you — if you are diligent and send a good amount of emails then you will surely hear back from a few. 

Step 5: Have the time of your life 

You’ve heard back and are ready to attend fashion week! NYFW is one the best experiences to ever be a part of. The energy is unbelievable and the amount of people you will see and meet is unforgettable. Take advantage of every opportunity and have the time of your life!

*Featured Image Credit: Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

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Hi, I’m Grace Avery, the Editor In Chief of A Magazine. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.