Alright, I’ve got a bit of a hot take in this blog post…
I’m not going to New York Fashion Week this year because it isn’t even “worth” it.
Straight up – writing those words does make me sad. I have so many fond memories of Fashion Week (especially the February Fashion Week I went to two years ago). That being said – Fashion Week just doesn’t even make sense for me, my brand, or my business anymore.
I know its around this time of year that so many bloggers either are flocking to New York, or having a serious case of FOMO about not going – and that’s why I wanted to write this post. I know for all the smaller bloggers out there that are dying to make their Fashion Week debut, not being “able” to go feels almost like a failure.
…but is going to Fashion Week something we all want to do because it seems cool? Does it actually help further our businesses?
Let’s break it down.
As a blogger, NYFW is rarely profitable to attend.
Attending Fashion Week, unless you’re being sponsored by a brand, is insanely expensive. Hotel rates in New York skyrocket. Ubers and Lyfts to and from the shows rack up. Even just eating out in the city is enough to make anyone’s wallet scream.
Attending NYFW is expensive.
Here’s the thing – if you want to go, GO. It’s totally okay to sink money into things that you enjoy.
For me – I couldn’t justify the cost of attending NYFW this year. I just don’t make enough money while on the trip to even justify taking the flight out. Unless I have sponsorships lined up, am making great affiliate sales off of the links to my outfits, or just living SUPER cheaply out there – there’s zero ROI for me going to NYFW.
NYFW doesn’t always align with my brand values.
I want to be careful not to make any blanket statements here, but in general, there just aren’t enough sustainable, ethical, low waste brands walking the runways (and definitely not being worn by bloggers in the streets).
Most bloggers attending NYFW are wearing fast fashion brands or “trendy” items. Again – really not trying to make blanket statements here and definitely not trying to judge. Do you, girl. Do you.
But for me and my brand – this just doesn’t align. I encourage capsule wardrobe dressing and sustainability in realistic ways. I’m not a “green” blogger and I’m not environmentally conscious in everything I do – but I try to do better and my fashion choices are 95% sustainable, ethical, transparent, and capsule (so that I am not buying new items to keep up with trends).
Cliques suck.
NYFW can sometimes perpetuate a clique vibe. There are SO many friendly people that attend shows – I’ve met some great people just standing in line together! But that being said – there’s a vibe. Even just the whole front row vs back row seating for bloggers establishes an underlying culture of hierarchy.
And I GET it. Seriously. I have a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising & Design so don’t @ me – I understand those holding tickets for a front row seat at a show usually legitimately “need” a front row seat to see the clothes more clearly. But here’s my hot take…
Those front row seats really belong to the editors, the buyers, and the very elite fashion content creators. I think what’s happened now is that editors, buyers, and elite content creators are 1) really only going to the major shows now or 2) have private viewings. This means all the rest of us bloggers are left fighting for front row seats that, realistically, we don’t actually even “need.” We just want them to say we sat front row. It’s all just a weird hierarchical illusion and I sometimes wonder if it would make more sense to have open seating or more inclusive floor plans.
I don’t know. I’m babbling. I’ve been sat both back and front row at various shows, so I’m really not taking any side here. But in general there’s something that feels very hierarchical about the NYFW system as it stands and it can sometimes breed a cliquey feeling that just doesn’t sit super well with me.
NYFW isn’t “relatable” content for most people.
Again, I can only speak for MY brand and MY readers, but NYFW doesn’t seem to matter as much to general readership as it does to us bloggers.
Unless your audience is really plugged into fashion and the latest trends, they may not care about nonstop Fashion Week content even though you’re loving attending.
Not necessarily a reason to quit Fashion Week all together, but I know for sure my readers just see it as a little novelty trip and don’t really need (or care) to see 70 Instagram Stories per day about my NYFW activities. It’s just not that interesting – and that doesn’t offend me! I’d rather understand what my readers find entertaining and interesting and service that.
All in all – I do love New York Fashion Week simply because it’s fun. I majored in apparel merchandising and design – I love the runways, I love the entire experience.
But I’m practical! And unfortunately Fashion Week doesn’t make much sense for me to attend this season.
Are you attending NYFW? Shout out why or why not in the comments down below!
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