Paris Fashion Week, particularly when it's ready-to-wear, is both the most glamorous and busiest event of the week. Not only will French designers and luxury labels show off their latest collections, but there are also parties, galas, exhibits, and more. It's an entire week—technically longer—where the best of the best of Paris fashion and retail reign supreme. And during such an event, things can get pretty hectic in the city. Especially if you're taking part. So to help you out, here are a few tips on how to navigate Paris Fashion Week. Where to go, what to do, and what to look forward to.
Start with The Emerging Designers
Real talk: unless you're a social media influencer, work for a
fashion magazine, or you're an up-and-coming celebrity, you won't get access to the big designer shows in Paris Fashion Week. At least, not when you're still a nobody in the fashion industry. Even if you can afford the clothes that are shown on the runway, if you haven't built a relationship with the label and you're not famous enough to advertise for them, you have slim chances of scoring a seat. That's why it's good to pay attention to emerging designers instead. They'll happily welcome anyone to their shows, even if you're just a mere spectator. And who knows? They might even be the next big thing next season!
Organize Your Daily Calendar
Let's say you're already a Paris Fashion Week fixture. You're big and important enough to get invited to the most coveted shows and your schedule is jam-packed. With so many events to go to, how will you ever survive Fashion Week? Organize your daily calendar. You might think that you can easily fix your schedule based on the Paris Fashion Week calendar but you never know what sorts of events might pop up right on the day itself. So it's better if you organize your schedule day-to-day instead of generalizing everything for the week.
Map Out Your Routes
The good thing about Fashion Week Calendars is that when they release the schedule of shows beforehand, they already include the venues of each show. And when you already know where each fashion show will take place, it'll be easier for you to map out your route. Remember that Paris is a busy city with
bustling districts left and right. You can easily get lost or get stuck in traffic if you're not careful, especially during Paris Fashion Week. By mapping out your routes beforehand, as well as relying on
transportation apps, you can ensure that you won't be late for your next show!
Expect Unorthodox Venues
If there's one thing to expect in Paris Fashion Week, it's the unexpected. Especially when it comes to its venues.
French designers are notorious for going all out in unorthodox venues and settings for their fashion shows. Karl Lagerfeld, the late German designer for Chanel, was notorious for his outlandish sets in the Grand Palais. And the venue itself wasn't even that bad. But other labels will hold theirs in museums, courthouses, old prisons, gymnasiums, junkyards, and even right out on the streets in the many
arrondissements of Paris. Since you likely already know the fashion show venues based on the calendar, you'll need to prepare yourself beforehand.
Dress Up
Needless to say, dressing in your best
French designer duds during Paris Fashion Week makes all the difference. In an event where celebrities and industry insiders all rub shoulders, it's only natural that you try to keep up, right? If you're not careful, you even risk getting turned away at the venue, even when you have an invitation. That's how looking your best matters during Paris Fashion Week. It's your time to shine and steal attention despite the fact that you're not a big name nor are you a model walking down the runway.
Choose Where to Eat Wisely
Remember that Paris Fashion Week invited all sorts of celebrities, social media influencers, and important figures in the fashion industry from all over the world. The city is often at its busiest and the most crowded during this time. So when it comes to choosing where to eat, you'll need to go about it wisely. If you want to eat at a
Michelin-starred restaurant, for instance, reserve a table a few weeks or even a few months prior. If you want to stop by a cafe, on the other hand, it's better to go to one that's near the next venue you're headed to.
Keep Your Phone Charged
During Paris Fashion Week, your smartphone is your best friend. From taking photos of the runway looks to calling your Uber after the show, it will be your handiest tool during this hectic week. And it's the worst if your phone dies out in the middle of the day because it ran out of battery. It won't just affect you right at that moment, but it risks ruining your entire day too! So always ensure that's fully charged before you leave your hotel room at your
luxury home in Paris. You can either charge it all night long or bring a power bank with you!
Update on Social Media
When your phone remains fully charged all throughout Paris Fashion Week, this makes it easier for you to keep updated on social media. Not to mention post your updates during this glamorous event as well! During Paris Fashion Week, social media is king. It's here where you'll find the latest info on schedule or venue changes, hot headlines about celebrities, trend reports, and more. Also, in order to propel your own name out there, you'd do well to keep your followers updated with your Paris Fashion Week chronicles. Who knows? You might even end up becoming a big social media influence or internet star before the week is through!
As one of the busiest times of the year in the French capital, navigating Paris Fashion Week is pretty tricky. You'll need to follow a handful of tips to ensure that you get to enjoy this glamorous event and maybe get something out of it by the end too!
