By Emily Popp, E!
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week officially kicks off in New York City Thursday, Feb. 6, and the fashion set is descending upon Manhattan, ready to take in all the runway shows.
Jacqueline Lee/E! Online
Luckily, we’re prepping you for the big event with a bit of Fashion Week 101. So if you’re clueless when it comes designer fashion, we’re schooling you on all things New York Fashion Week.
Or even if you’re a total sartorial star and you can spell “Proenza Schouler” in your sleep, you’ll still appreciate boning up on the basics with our guide.
1. Location, Location, Location: New York Fashion Week runs from Feb. 6 through Feb. 13, and the official central hub for NYFW is Lincoln Center, where some of the biggest names in fashion will show their Fall/Winter 2014 collections. The official venue is also referred to as “the tents,” and it’s a real coup for a designer to score a spot at Lincoln Center. While some designers show offsite (like Alexander Wang, who will show at the Brooklyn Navy Yard), designers like Carolina Herrera, Monique Lhuillier, Nicole Miller and Naeem Khan (just to rattle off a few) will all show at Lincoln Center.
2. Scoring an Invite: Fashion Week isn’t like the Super Bowl where anyone can potentially buy a ticket if they’re willing to cough up the cash. You don’t really get a “ticket to Fashion Week”; you get invitations to individual shows. It’s an industry event, meaning that everyone with an invite is somehow directly connected to the fashion industry: stylists, buyers, editors, reporters, etc. Or, they’re a celebrity.
3. The Politics of Seating: There is definitely a hierarchy to seating at Fashion Week. So how does it all break down? Celebrities are always seated front row, as are editors for all the major fashion mags. You’ll never see Sarah Jessica Parker or Anna Wintour in the second row. Buyers and reporters who are reviewing the show are typically seated fairly close so that they can get a good look at the clothes. But really any seat at Fashion Week is a coveted seat. If instead of a seat assignment you get a slip of paper with an “S,” then that means you’re in standing room, standing at the back behind the seats. Even still, not bad!
4. Fashion Week Swag: It isn’t uncommon for designers to leave gift bags (or “swag bags”) on the seats for attendees to take home after a show. Sometimes they’ll have goodies like beauty products, little accessories or sweet treats. Sometimes every seat will have a gift bag, other times it’s just the first few rows. In which case, beware of “swag swipers.” Meaning those in the third or fourth row who may try and steal your swag if you’re not looking!
Read the full article by Emily Popp from E!
