7 SHOWS LATER.. (Non-Influencer Edition)

“Get into one Milan Fashion Week (MFW) show” — that was written on the very first page of my study abroad art journal. I didn’t make it into just one. Instead, I got invited to 5 official Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) shows (and crashed two more), and 12+ presentations and events.

Ever since I arrived in Milan for my study abroad, attending a fashion show has been at the top of my list. Anyone who met me in that first week could tell you I wasn’t subtle about it. My housemates had to endure my daily obsession of yapping about wanting to get into a show. I sew my own clothes, immerse myself in art, and Milan is the capital of it all. How could I be here without witnessing at least one show?

Fashion shows have always felt so exclusive, reserved for A-list celebrities, influencers with millions of followers, and editor-in-chiefs like Anna Wintour. Why would someone like me get an invite? After all, the point of these shows is for brands to market their upcoming collections to the people who can boost sales.

So, who really gets to see a fashion show? Mostly influencers, celebrities, press, and buyers. I’m certainly not an influencer, nor could I be a buyer. That left me with one possible route—press. Could I pretend to be press? My best bet was to leverage my past role as the president of Garb, UC Berkeley’s fashion club. (Sorry Kristina and Talissa, I had to borrow the title for just one more month.)

STEP 1: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH.

A month before fashion week, I knew it was time to stop procrastinating and actually do something to make this dream a reality. To everyone sitting behind me during the grueling four-hour Monday-to-Saturday intensive Italian crash course, I promise I learned just enough to get by. I had my beloved Excel sheet open, meticulously logging every show, location, and press contact (or PR/communications director) I could find.

At first, my strategy was a bit scattered. I scrolled through various sources, including Fashion News Online (still pretty useful), before realizing that all official shows were conveniently listed on the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana website — the official host of Milan Fashion Week. Most press contacts were available on brand websites, but when they weren’t, I would either do some LinkedIn stalking or try the info@brand.com email.

STEP 2: EMAIL EVERYONE, LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE BRAND

(Five shows secured)

After texting back and forth with my fashionista friend, Alex, we drafted something that sounded reasonably convincing (email template in the image above). I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Getting ghosted or “no”? The stakes were so low, I figured I had nothing to lose. My first ego boost came when Antonio Marras responded, saying they were still sorting out their seating arrangement and asked me for more information – ok not an immediate no. Encouraged by that, I sent out a few dozen more emails.

A few responses later, I realized one month was still plenty of time. I knew runway shows operated on tight schedules, but I hadn’t realized just how last-minute everything was—some invites came as close as a few days before the show. From my experience, sending emails about two or three weeks in advance would be a good timeline (not too late nor too early that it will get lost in their inboxes).

If you’re targeting brands that are debuting, they’ll likely be more accessible. That’s how I found Phan Dang Hoang, who was showing at Milan Fashion Week for the first time. I couldn’t find a press email anywhere on their website, so I slid into their Instagram DMs instead. My instincts were right—shortly after sending my message, I received my first-ever Milan Fashion Week invitation! From there, the invitations trickled in over the next few weeks.

After exhausting every possible show email, I figured — why not try the presentations too? I wasn’t entirely sure what they were, although I had seen impressive ones like Iris Van Herpen’s installations. The presentations I attended, however, were more like showrooms. Most were held in intimate courtyards or venues, with clothes displayed on hangers or mannequins. It was still a unique peek behind the scenes of these brands.

FIRST EVENT - COCKTAIL PARTY

My first event was with Enterprise Japan, a sneaker company, and it was a cocktail party — complete with an open bar and a DJ — in a gorgeous Italian courtyard. It was the Monday before the official start of fashion week, and even though the venue was on the other side of town and I had an early class the next morning, I decided to make the trek. Who knew? Maybe I’d meet some people and get invited to more events. I had no idea what to expect, let alone what to wear. A sneaker company event — should I wear sneakers or something more formal? I only packed my Adidas Wales Bonners. Was it bad to wear a different brand? I finally settled on a maxi dress I bought by the Navigli flea market—casual enough and conveniently long enough to cover my shoes.

I arrived fashionably late (thanks to a class group meeting and way too much outfit contemplation) and was immediately approached by at least ten event staff, all blocking the entrance. I carefully pulled out my email invitation and was asked to state my name. What I initially thought was just a casual event turned into something much more exclusive. I had to get my name checked by three separate staff members to ensure I was on the guest list. At that moment, I felt like the coolest person ever. But once inside, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Everyone seemed older, at least mid-twenties or more, speaking Italian and clustered in their own circles.

After making a round of the venue and pretending to be an influencer—filming everything in sight while furiously texting anyone who was online — I started to feel a bit out of place. Maybe I should prey on some other solo-ers. Summoning up my courage, I made my way across the dance floor, hoping to strike up a conversation. What I originally thought would be a quick hour-long visit ended up turning into a night that stretched until 2AM. I met so many incredible people, and in the end, I was so glad I stayed.

STEP 3: FIND PUBLIC SHOWS

Day 2 of MFW: Stumbled upon my first show (Marco Rambaldi)

As I was walking from my first presentation at Raisa Vanessa to another one with BruceGlen, I stumbled across a press van and a crowd of impeccably dressed people heading in the same direction. This had to be a MFW event of some kind. My eyes lit up when I spotted a runway setup with chairs and a swarm of paparazzi around the corner. Unsure if an invitation was required, I decided to casually slip into a small space behind a few seats and wait it out. Checking the time against the screenshot of the CNMI schedule on my phone, I realized I had just stumbled upon the Marco Rambaldi show.

At first, I stayed quiet, trying to blend in, but soon I realized the people around me didn’t have invitations either. They had found out via TikTok that part of the show was open to the public. At exactly 12:30, the show’s scheduled start time, no one was seated yet, and the crowd behind me continued to grow — fashion shows usually start 20 minutes late, after all. I knew I had an official invitation to N21 later that day, so while waiting, I people-watched, mentally plotting my evening outfit. Based on what I’d seen influencers post, I assumed you had to be decked out in the brand’s clothes or at least flaunting a designer bag. But I wasn’t about to buy a designer purse just to fit in at MFW. Nor would you ever catch me casually slacking a Hermès Birkin or Chanel 11.12 Flap Bag. I would rather proudly carry my magazine clutch, channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw.

Honestly, people wore everything from neon to neutrals, gowns to pants. I was in awe when someone arrived in a dramatic high-low gold gown with puff sleeves that trailed on the ground, perfectly complemented by her Schiaparelli Anatomy Jewelry Triple Bag. Then there was another girl who showed up in a plain white Stone Island hoodie, basic straight-leg jeans, Red Valentino Bowalk sneakers, and a black Balenciaga Le Cagole Bag. If you want to play it safe, I’d say stick to an oversized blazer, sleek back bun, and sunglasses—the MFW staple.

STEP 4: PATIENCE MIGHT GET YOU IN

One more show secured (Avavav)

After leaving my third show with Phan Dang Hoang, I was rushing to my next event, which was set to start in just an hour—on the other side of the city. Fashion weeks are definitely not for the common people, especially when trying to navigate Milan’s public transportation system during a strike in my newly thrifted 2000s Prada pumps. When we arrived at the dead-locked gates of the M2 metro, we gave in and ordered an overpriced Uber Black (the only Uber option available—no Bolt or Lyft in Milan. If only I had known about FreeNow earlier.) One day, I’ll pull up to Fashion Week with a personal driver in a tinted black Mercedes.

I was the only one invited to the Calcaterra show, but my two friends decided to tag along, hoping to sneak in. I tried forwarding my email invitation to them, but quickly realized that I had an assigned seat—my first front-row seat. (So humbling when I realized ST stands for Standing and not Sabrina T. during the N21 show.). Luckily, there was a clear window panel, so at least they could watch from the outside. Just as the show was about to start, I looked up and saw my two friends being directed to a standing spot behind the seats. It turns out that just hanging around outside can sometimes get you into a show.

A girl approached me and complimented my dress. It felt like one of those TikTok trends where fashion girls get complimented on their outfits. But seriously, one of the best parts of Fashion Week is meeting random people and hearing their stories. She told me she had been volunteering at the Avavav shows for the past two seasons, and through her, I learned that Avavav is really student-friendly, often letting a few fans without invitations in just before the show starts.

You can bet I made sure to be there after hearing that. Avavav’s shows are always full of surprises—the one that went viral had models whose clothes literally fell apart on the runway, and in the next season, the audience threw trash at the models. After last season’s negative feedback, this could be their redemption show. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be fun.

I arrived ten minutes before the show (*scheduled time - shows start typically 20-30 mins late) and found a massive crowd already gathered. The vibe at Avavav was very art-student chic. I followed the group with invitations, slowly inching my way to the front. Building up the courage, I told the event staff I was a Bocconi Fashion Management student, but unlike the Prada show, the staff simply said, “Maybe if there’s space at the end.” Not a rejection, at least! I staked out a spot by the gate, determined to be among the first in line, while watching more people approach the staff to ask for entry. The crowd behind me grew to over 50 people.

Milan had been blisteringly hot when I first moved here, but, of course, the few days leading up to Fashion Week were freezing. And, as luck would have it, the one day I wore a long-sleeve outfit was the day the sun decided to shine. I was sweating in my housemate’s navy pinstripe blazer and my Jaded London baggy jeans. My feet were sore despite the silicone pointe shoe pads I had shoved into my thrifted vintage red Manolo stilettos. As the clock ticked closer to 2:30, tension mounted and people began pushing against each other. Finally, the event staff opened a small gap in the barricade, and the crowd surged forward like freshmen trying to get into their first frat party. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky 30 who got in. To my surprise, the runway was set up on a soccer field. The gate closed behind me, leaving the rest of the crowd pressed against the bars, watching the show from a distance like monkeys at the zoo.

How to (not) get into a fashion show

Before Milan Fashion Week, I had read countless articles on how to get into shows, and I was determined to try my luck at the Prada show. On the tram ride over, I rehearsed potential lines, trying to figure out what I could say to the security guard to get in. But as soon as I got within a block of the venue, my courage evaporated. The entire street was blocked off, with people bringing stools and even climbing walls just to catch a glimpse of the celebrities. While most people were busy celebrity-watching, I mustered up the nerve to approach a security guard and, in my broken Italian, tried to convince him that I was an Italian fashion management student. I got passed from one security guard to another—four in total—before finally being rejected by the head of security.

The MM6 Maison Margiela show was a completely different story. There were so many people trying to sneak in (and failing), but it was fascinating to see the various creative methods people used to try to get past security. While it didn’t work for them, witnessing it all made the experience memorable in its own right.

THOUGHTS ON MFW

I was genuinely thrilled to have made it into so many fashion shows. While I might have set the bar high—hoping to witness something as jaw-dropping as Alexander McQueen’s Voss SS01 or KidSuper’s Fall 2024 Menswear—I still left feeling incredibly inspired. Sure, Milan Fashion Week may not have the same dramatic set designs as Paris shows like Alessandro Michele’s Valentino or Maison Louboutin, but there’s something special about its timeless elegance and tradition. Every show I attended was amazing, and I can’t wait to experience even more in the future. One day, I’d love to start my own fashion venture of some sort and actually be invited to these events—it would be a dream to be dressed by a designer brand someday.

Follow along my study abroad journey @sababy.studio on Instagram :)

How to Crash Milan Fashion Week