WHAT INFLUENCERS AREN’T TELLING YOU ABOUT NYFW 👠
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
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NEW YORK FASHION WEEK ★
IN MY FASHION ERA. ✨
I cannot believe it’s that time of year again - NYFW is upon us! If you’re new, I’m Reagan Baylee and in 2022 I attended my first NYFW. Since then, I have returned every season and have attended shows/presentations by Kate Spade, Alice & Olivia, Puma, Selkie amongst many others.
Growing up, I used to say I wanted to work “in the fashion industry”. This comment was met with cautionary tales surrounding the lack of pay and opportunity which ultimately, led me to pursue other passions. Fast forward to 2024 and I’m living my dream working as as full-time fashion and beauty creator attending shows and partnering with the brands of my dreams. That being said, what you see on social media doesn’t paint the full picture of the endless effort that goes into getting opportunities such as attending New York Fashion Week.
Consider this blog your breakdown of the BTS and everything influencers aren’t telling you about attending NYFW in 2024. ✨
What to expect in this blog post ⤵️
What is NYFW?
When is NYFW? What is the show schedule?
How to Get Invited to Shows
How much does it cost to attend NYFW? Do influencers get paid to go?
Why I attend NYFW
WHAT IS NYFW? 👀
To make it as simple as possible - New York Fashion week at its core exists so that designers can showcase their work (and latest/upcoming collections) to buyers. However, over the years (thanks to influencers and technology advancements) it seems like NYFW has shifted. Being that buyers no longer have to come to fashion week in-person to see a new collection, I believe NYFW is more about publicity than anything else. Hence why brands are SO incredibly selective about who attends their shows.
WHEN IS NYFW? WHAT IS THE SHOW SCHEDULE? 💭
NYFW happens twice a year - in February and September. Fashion always works “one season ahead” so the designs you see in February are typically previewing the brands collection for the end of the year.
➡️ February = Fall/Winter
➡️ September = Spring/Summer
There is a big misconception when it comes to the “schedule” for NYFW. While yes, there is an “official schedule” (published by CFDA) several brands host shows and presentations that are not officially registered or listed for the public. This makes pitching brands difficult and comes down to who you know and how big your network is.
CFDA stands for Council of Fashion Designers of America - their website is a great resource if you’re interested in learning more about NYFW or hope to attend in the near future.
HOW TO GET INVITED TO SHOWS? ‼️
Alas, the question I get asked most… so, how do I get invited? My simple (and slightly dramatic answer): blood, sweat and tears. 😭
In reality, to put it bluntly, getting invited to shows comes down to how aggressive you are with your pitches. Brands are inundated with OODLES of PR professionals, buyers, content creators and celebrities looking to attend their shows. Not to mention, these shows take place in NYC of all places - space is limited to begin with.
So, how do I do it? Emails. More Emails. And yes, MORE EMAILS. I am ruthless when it comes to pinging brands over and over and over again until I get confirmation eyeballs have made contact with my message. It feels annoying but I want to maximize the number of opportunities I take advantage of while I’m in the city so you bet I’m going hard.
A few tips when it comes to cold pitch emails ⤵️
✅ Keep it short. Shorter than you think - these people are busy and read a zillion request emails.
✅ Remind them of the VALUE you will provide if you’re invited. Remind them WHY they should give you a seat at their show.
✅ Provide clear links to your socials and/or note your experience or credentials.
As a second resort, I highly recommend the platform GPS Radar. Weird name, I know. A lot of smaller, indie designers (and some bigger) list application based opportunities to attend their shows here. Follow the same tips as above for your application pitch messages but keep in mind you cannot hyperlink on this platform so be sure to include your handle or clear links for them to reference.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ATTEND NYFW? 💸 DO INFLUENCERS GET PAID TO GO?
Transparently, I have never been paid “to attend NYFW”. NYFW itself is more of a title for the week of events so there is not some higher power out there recruiting people and paying them to attend (at least to my knowledge) 😅. That being said, I have been strategic in pitching brands collaborations in alignment with NYFW - such as this campaign I did with Kate Spade in 2023.
In short, I am NOT paid to attend. I’m sure that’s not the case with every influencer and I’m almost positive some brands strategically partner with certain influencers to ensure their designs reach a new demographic. But for me, it’s all paid for out of pocket and let me just tell you - NYC is NOT CHEAP. 🫣
February is the less desirable of the two NYFW dates so it is significantly cheaper. That being said, a full 7 days at even a “cheap” NYC hotel runs around $1300 - $1500 for the week. This season I am paying close to $2000 for the week.
Transportation costs vary from where you’re traveling from, of course, but I do my best to book as far in advance as possible to ensure the cost of my flight is not astronomical. I typically pay anywhere from $500 - $800 round trip for my flights to NY.
Spending the week eating out and taking taxis can add up quickly but being that I’m pretty comfortable with the subway and eat a lot of cheaper, “on the go” options - these costs typically hoover around $500 or less for the week.
While totally optional, I do feel photography is a massive part of the experience for me at NYFW. I want to document the experience and walk away with high quality images that I can use on my socials, website or marketing materials so I do invest in 3-5 photoshoots while I’m in town. These run around $200 per shoot and total at $600 - $1000 for the week.
While those may look like big scary numbers, this is a work trip which means I am able to write it off (and pay less in taxes, yay).
WHY I ATTEND NYFW 👗
It goes without saying, I love fashion. This has truly become one of my most favorite experiences and times of year. Being that I attend and navigate the city alone, it has also helped me develop a tremendous level of confidence. I treat these bi-yearly trips as a reward for all of my hard work. Plus, it’s really fun to provide BTS for my audience and I can create weeks of content from this single experience. I have also been able to expand my network and meet SO many incredible people while in town. I truly try to maximize every second of these trips to make my investment worth it in the end.
**This post features photography from the talented @whiteteeblackdress @jspic3 and @karyastreetstyle. Please consider checking out their portfolio for the next time you are in the city - I cannot recommend each of them enough.
If you made it this far - thank you! I am so passionate about empowering women to chase their dreams and step outside of their comfort zone. The experience of NYFW has fulfilled me in more ways than one and I hope you look forward to seeing all of the content I plan to share in the coming weeks.
As always, it’s another great day to be alive at the same time as Taylor Swift! But in this case, maybe I should say…
WELCOME TO NEW YORK, IT’S BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. 🍎🗽🚕
See you around! xoxox Reagan Baylee
