Wondering how to work at Fashion Week? Whether it’s Paris, New York, Milan, or London, fashion’s biggest events rely on hundreds of behind-the-scenes roles, and the good news is many of them are open to newcomers.
Working a fashion week event may seem like a hard-to-reach dream, but getting a position may actually be easier than you think. From volunteer dresser positions to PR assistant jobs and backstage crew roles, there are more opportunities to work at Fashion Week than you might think – even without formal experience. I have worked across multiple fashion seasons, in London specifically, for brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Vogue, Mithridate, HUISHAN ZHANG and KNWLS. Here I share my tips for landing a role…
Why Should You Work At Fashion Week?
Firstly, it’s important to establish why, if you’re hoping to break into the fashion industry, you should work during fashion week in the first place. Fashion weeks are not only fundamental for the industry, but if you are just starting your career in fashion they can provide you with invaluable experience on how the industry works.
Whether you aspire to be an editor of the trendiest magazine, a stylist or a designer, working during fashion week is a great way to create your first connections within the industry. Being an intern, assistant or volunteer during fashion week allows you to see firsthand what it takes to put together the biggest event in the fashion calendar. Not to mention it looks great on your CV.
Most roles are unpaid, but I wouldn’t let this put you off. Considering most roles are short-lived (typically just the single day of the show), working unpaid is not a bad compromise for the experience you will gain.
More Fashion Week:
Akio Cěn On What It’s Really Like To Attend Fashion Week
Where Does Fashion Week Take Place? Your Guide To The Schedule
Fashion Week 101: Everything You Need To Know
What Kind of Jobs Are Available at Fashion Week?
Fashion Week requires a huge, coordinated team – and that means lots of entry-level and freelance opportunities. Some of the most common roles include:
- Backstage dressers (helping models change quickly)
- Front-of-house staff (guest check-ins, seating VIPs)
- Runner or production assistant (handling quick errands and tasks)
- PR assistant (helping with media check-ins, brand activations)
- Showroom assistant (working with stylists/buyers pre-show)
- Social media support (capturing content for brand teams)
Most roles are short-term, from 1-day gigs to full-week placements, and many are unpaid or low-paid but high-value for experience and networking.
What Does A Dresser Do At Fashion Week?
The role of a dresser is one of the key backstage jobs. As a dresser, you show up at the event location a few hours before the start of the show. If the area is not already set up, you assemble the clothing racks and hang the clothes, making sure not to crease them.
Organisation is a big part of being a dresser. You need to ensure that each look has all of the pieces together, including any bags, shoes and jewellery. All buttons, zips and laces need to be undone so that the model can change into the clothing quickly. The looks will have previously been styled by the brand’s stylists and creative director, but it is your job to dress the models how the stylists want them to be dressed. For instance, if a shirt needs to be tucked in or out, or if a jacket needs to be buttoned up or left open.
In some shows, one model can have multiple looks that require a quick change. This is why it’s so important to have your rails and looks organised.
Often, models can be nervous about walking the catwalk, so it is important to try and make him or her as comfortable as possible and offering a few words of encouragement would never go amiss.
After the show, buyers and journalists may descend to the backstage area to see the collection. The dresser has to make sure the area is tidy and the clothes look presentable for close-up viewing. Once all of the guests have left, it is the dressers responsibility to get the models un-changed and pack up all of the looks into their dust bags.
What Does Front of House Do At Fashion Week?
The main responsibilities of working front-of-house at a fashion show include:
• Meet and greet VIP guests
• Assist with preparing the show space (laying out seating cards, goody bags, etc.)
• Assist with seating guests at the show
How to Apply to Work at Fashion Week
It can be tough to get a position volunteering at fashion week as there are hundreds of people hoping to do the exact same thing. However, it is certainly not impossible. If I could land my first fashion week job without any experience then you can too. However, there’s no central application portal, so you’ll need to be proactive.
Applying by City
I’m UK based, so for me, the official London Fashion Week website was my first port of call. Before each season the British Fashion Council publish a downloadable spreadsheet of all of the brands showing that season and their relevant PR contacts. I got most of my fashion week jobs by simply emailing each PR contact on the spreadsheet to express my interest in helping them out during fashion week. Make sure to attach an updated CV with any relevant experience. Plus a short (no more than a few sentences) cover letter explaining why you would like to help them. I recommend doing this 4-6 weeks before the shows as if the brand requires help, spaces are likely to fill up fast.
For those of you looking to work at NYFW, MFW or PFW, check MODEM for press contacts.
Contact PR Companies Directly
Many luxury brands that show during fashion week have external PR companies that manage their shows and hire temporary workers. The big ones include Karla Otto, Lucien Pages, L52 Communications, and Purple PR – all of which are worth contacting for potential work.
Contact Brands Directly
Another option is to contact the brands you want to work for directly. This can work particularly well for smaller brands. Be sure to include a short introduction on why you want to help, any relevant experience and an updated CV.
Look on Job Boards
Sometimes brands will advertise for volunteers on job sites such as Fashion Workie or fashionjobs.com. This is actually how I got my first position volunteering for AADNEVIK. So, keep a look out in the months leading up to fashion week.
What to Wear If You’re Working at Fashion Week
Most jobs during fashion week will have a strict all black policy. This is to ensure you stand out from guests or models backstage. The key to dressing for a fashion week job though is to be comfortable. They can often entail working long hours on your feet, so I would absolutely avoid heels or tight clothing.
Extra Tips
Network but don’t force it
Fashion shows are a great place to network. However, they are also fast-paced and often quite chaotic with hundreds of people running around putting the show together. Use your judgement to determine whether it is a good time to network yourself. The last thing you want to do is add stress and leave a bad impression.
Don’t just reach out to big brands
I know the bigger fashion houses may be more appealing to work for, but they are also the hardest to get, especially without experience. It is more beneficial to apply for both big and small brands to increase your chances of getting a position. At the end of the day, all experience is valuable.