Reasonably Certain

How to Get Into Fashion Week & a Deep Dive on Copenhagen Fashion Week

• Ellen Larson • Episode 51

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EP #51: In this episode, Ellen shares her personal experiences and insights from Copenhagen Fashion Week. She discusses the challenges of breaking into the fashion industry, the importance of networking, and how to navigate the often elusive world of fashion events. Ellen also offers practical tips for aspiring fashion influencers, including how to pitch to brands and what to expect from fashion week logistics. Leave your comments on the YouTube video or in her IG DMs!


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>> Ellen:

Hey guys. Welcome back to Reasonably Certain. My name is Ellen. This is episode 51. And today we're going toa be talking about fashion weeks. I've been a little bit behind, but I did just publish my Copenhagen Fashion Week V blog yesterday. So like the day before I'm filming this and I wanted to film this after that vlog just to kind of like wrap up this fashion week era of the fall for me and discuss how to get into fashion weeks, if that's something you guys are interested in. Cause I feel that it's still kind of this like gate kept mysterious thing. There's no like how to guides on to get into fashion. Make like the fashion industry is still quite mysterious. I think a lot of industries are. It's like kind of like if you know, you know, if you grew up with people adjacent to it or grew up and knew someone in it, like then maybe you could get in it. But my family, my friends, my experience in life has not had any sort of, any sort of exposure to the entertainment industry, to fashion, to beauty. It's been very blue collar. Yeah. So nothing of the sort. I've had to do a lot of this research myself and I thought I would share some of it with you guys just so that you can, we can kind of like demystify it together and talk a little bit about my experience at Copenhagen. Obviously like maybe a little bit of what I didn't include in the vlog and like, I'm always interested in like the logistics of things and like the behind the scenes stuff. Cause like obviously you can see the in front of the scenes clips from like my YouTube video and my tik tooks and everything. But I try to be as transparent as I can. But there's also only so much that you can say in like a 1 minute 30 second tik took or I mean yeah, I can say a lot in a vlog, but it'still like sometimes doesn't cover at all because I don't want it to be monology in the vlog, but the podcast episode is perfect for that. So hope this is something you guys are interested in and I guess I'll just start off with a little summary of my Copenhagen Fashion Week experience. So for those of you who don't know, I don't work in fashion. officially I just really love fashion and I was like obsessed with fashion back in high school and even when I was really little, but then I kind of like shut myself off from it cause I was just getting really frustrated and feeling really down about myself. And I was like, fashion is the last thing on my mind because I just feel, like, ugly and gross. And I was, like, feeling really uninspired and, like, not happy with my body. So if you're feeling, like, down about yourself and not happy about your body, obviously you're not really gonna be, like, a loving fashion, especially if you're plus size. Because, a lot of companies don't make fashionable clothes for anything above, like, a US size 12, maybe a US size 14 if you're, like, really lucky. But if you're like a 14, 16, like I am, then, yeah, it's kind of like, oh, good luck. And then also living on Spain, living in Spain or just living in Europe is like a double whammy. It's like, oh, yeah, oh, oh, you're over a US Size eight. Oh, yeah, you're a big fatty. Like, that's the vibes here. Like, they're super fat phobic. In Europe, they. I've made videos about it. They get so angry when I say that. But I'm, like, girl, you guys are. You're also super racist. But, like, that's another conversation. So not saying that America isn't fatphobic and racist, but it's like, Europe, if anything, is more. And so it's just like, every time I say something about it, I'm like, hey, I'm not saying that, like, everything sucks here. I'm just saying that that is, like, an objective fact about the entire continent. Like, yes, there's varying degrees and different nuances, of course, in different countries and different regions and even different towns. Like, hello. Obviously, it can't be a giant blanket statement, but it kind of can. Because most of Europe is fat, phobic, and racist. They would like to think they're not. They get really angry in the comments. It's kind of funny. They're like, oh, well, Americans are just big, fat and stupid. Okay, yeah, Never heard that one before. Like, at this point, I've heard it so many times. It's like, okay. And, like, do you have anything better than that? Like, just okay, like, you're really showing your prejudice, so whatever. Anyway, so it really discouraged me from fashion. And then I don't really know what sparked in my mind. Like, early in 2024, I was just like, wait, why am I, like, depriving myself of this experience? I really love fashion, but I have just been depriving myself of it for the longest time because I've felt really insecure and unconfident and Uninspired. So then I was like, you know what, let me just start researching it, see which Fashion Week would maybe be the most accessible for me as someone who has really no, like official career experience in the industry. And I don't necessarily want official career experience in the industry. I don't have a desire to intern for a brand or work directly for a brand. Like, if you guys follow me, you know, I'm not trying to have a corporate job, like long term. So that's not necessarily a goal of mine. If anything, my goal is to open a brand and just be like, I don't know, like, I love researching, I love finding patterns and trends and I love, like, I don't know, I just love researching and curating things. So that's kind of what I've been focusing on a little bit more on my social media. So anyways, last year I was like, oh my God, I've been hearing a little bit about Copenhagen Fashion Week. Like, wouldn't that be so iconic if I could go? So I just researched it and I was like, yeah, it's not like I'm trying to get into Paris or Milan or London or New York. So Copenhagen is still like a little bit up and coming and I think it would be the easiest for me to like dip my toes into and see if it's possible to go. And it went really well. Like I, I, like I said, I'm very type A. I love researching and organizing things. So last year I made a spreadsheet with like hundreds of lines of contacts and events and I took the event calendar from the previous year to kind of like study what events would typically happen. Then they released the calendar for last year like 2024 August. And then I just started reaching out to contacts and thanks to ChatGBT, I'm able to kind of like curate an email pitch or like a pitch email so I can talk a little bit more about that as well. But essentially I just sent out pitch emails to as many of the brands as I could, kept track of when I send my first email. I had to send kind of maybe like a second follow up email like a few weeks before. And then like the week of leading up I would send like a third last, like half court shot. Just like maybe they see it before and they send me something last minute. So that was my experience last year. And I got invited to quite a lot of stuff. Like both my friend Yli and I got invited to pretty much all the same events, I think. So that was really lucky for us. And we got invited to our first fashion show, which was for fine chaos. And I will never forget that experience. Like, it was just so special. And I was like, oh, my God. Like, I can do these things. Like, it's not so crazy and so difficult. Like, I just, like, have to ask. If you don't ask, you'll never get in. So if you at least ask, they can always say no. But I've learned a lot over the past year that if you never ask, then you'll definitely never get it because you're not even asking. So it's like closed mouths. Don't get fed. you can at least ask. Ask in a polite way, ask in a valuable way, but you can still ask. And if they say no, they say no, that's fine, but you'll never know if you don't ask. So that's been like, my theme of the past year, for sure. And the Copenhagen Fashion Week last year was so amazing that I was like, I feel like I just got a taste of something that I wish I had years ago, and I'm obsessed and I. I love it so much. I also love Copenhagen as a city, so I really, really enjoyed it. And I was like, oh, my God, like, do I go to the autumn winter ones? Like, I wanted to go to Berlin, I wanted to go to Milan, Copenhagen, all around, like, the January, February timef frame. But then I was like, girl, this is. It's kind of crazy. It comes up really fast. Like, August, September is like spring summer fashion week time. And then from now until January, it. The time flies by. So I was like, I remember reaching out to brands around, like, November, December, and hotels too. Cause I was like, well, I would love to get a hotel collab because I can't keep shelling out, like, you know, a few hundred euros for these long weeks. Up to a thousand euros, honestly, for a hotel, like, by myself and not splitting it with anyone. So, like, yeah, I can't keep doing that unless I get a hotel collab. So. So that's the other thing is, like, it is expensive, obviously. So, like, I'm trying to do it in the most economical way possible, if that's a thing, and also grow my social media presence at the same time. So it's like sometimes I just feel like an octopus, like, with 10 arms, eight arms, whatever, juggling so many things. And it's like, okay, don't drop anything, don't drop anything. And, like, make sure everything's growing at the same time. It's kind of really hard. So you kind of have to pick like two or three things to focus on and really push for a few months at a time anyway. That's a separate conversation. But yeah, so I didn't end up going to any autumn winter ones this u, winter early in 2025, I was just like, okay, this is costing a lot of money. It's. I'm pushing it a little hard. Like, it's okay. I can wait until the summer to go to another Fashion Week. So then I was like, you know what? I loved Copenhagen so much. I'mnna just do it again and see what happens this year. Like, I think, you know, you build experience every single year. Every experience that you have helps you learn even more for the next time. So I already knew quite a lot going into it this time. I had already visited Copenhagen before. I knew the layout of the city. I knew where a lot of the vents usually took place. So it made it easier for me this time around. So I did the same thing again. When the schedule came out, I reached out to all the brands that were going toa have events this year. And I got, I would say I got about the same amount of invites as last year, but I got invites to the IME Sego show and then I also got an invite to the Rolf Ekroth show. So I technically got two shows this year, whereas I only got one last year. And then this year I met a lot more friends. So last year we didn't meet anyone. We didn't really network. But this year I was like, no, if I'm going, like, a lot of the point of going to Fashion Week, yes, it's to see the fashion and stuff. But I think a lot of people go at this point to meet and network with people. Because honestly, for a lot of these people, like, their jobs and their lives are so busy and a lot of them work in fashion. So the fashion weeks are like the mecca of meeting up with all of your, like, quote unquote colleagues in the industry. So, like a lot of fashion editors, photographers, influencers, brand designers, there's stylists. Like, there's so many different roles of people that meet up. And it's honestly a good time to meet up with a giant subsection of people that you don't normally get to just meet up with. So I think that's one of the biggest benefits. And like, fashion shows nowadays that are actually at Fashion Week is more for, like, exposure rather than actually like buyers and things like that. There. I think there are separate fashion weeks for, like, literal Buyers to sit and watch the collection. But I think M Fashion weeks nowadays have transformed quite a bit into being more of like a marketing PR networking frenzy, which I personally love. But I know some people are a bit jaded about it because it's not the same as it was maybe in like the early 2000s. But I don't know. I'm kind of a fan of like, things are going to change. They're not going to stay the same forever. We have AI now we have influencers, now we have influencer events, brand events, showrooms, PR events. Like, it's just going to be a lot different. Like, honestly, most of the events that I saw influencers going to this Fashion Week were not even official Copenhagen Fashion Week events. They were actually mostly brand events that are adjacent to Copenhagen Fashion Week. So some of them would be brand like fashion brands hosting their dinners. Of course, some of them would be buyers breakfasts. Some of them would be like a beauty brand like Kaya Cosmetics, collabed with Rotate and then they had their own, you know, like influencer dinner. So a lot of brands that are like adjacent to Fashion Week and not actually participating in Fashion Week itself kind of take advantage of the fact that there will be a lot of influencers in one place at one time. And some of them even sponsored the influencer to go with that brand for the entire Fashion Week. So a lot of beauty brands, a lot of other fashion brands that maybe they want their fashion shown in like streetwear photography. So maybe if you're not being invited by a brand that's having a fashion show, you can still get dressed up and just be photographed on the street. Like you, might even hire a photographer and have them just shoot you on the street just cause that's the vibe and the aesthetic and it's a good way to show off your clothes during that time of year. I don't even know what my point was there. Why was I discussing that? I think just like ways people are involved with the industry. So anyways, I send my pitch email and I usually say like, well, first of all, I started a blog. I really do love brand discovery as well. I think it goes very much hand in hand with like researching and curating. And I'm very passionate about people finding their personal style and not just buying from like fast fashion houses all the time and wearing the same 10 pieces of clothing that like every other influencer and every other person wears. Like, I think finding unique pieces from these really cool brands is like a good way to find your personal style and just branch out from like the same five retailers. Like, like, I also buy from big retailers. I'm not saying that I'm like completely anti fast fashion because I also understand that a lot of these brands that are going to fashion weeks, again, they don't even sell clothes that are big enough for somebody who's over a US 14. So if you are larger and you're into fashion, yeah, you're kind of like out of luck to shop from a lot of these brands. So I do understand the appeal of shopping from big fast fashion houses or retailers because. And I say fast fashion, but I'm also grouping in like, I, I wouldn't consider Abercrombie fast fashion. And like asos, of course a lot of brands on asos, I would consider fast fashion. So really anything that's not like a niche designer, I would pretty much consider fast fashion. So I still shop from those because like, also I don't have the money to be dropping on a designer piece all the time. And I love Copenhagen Fashion Week because although they're like quote unquote Fashion Week designer brands, they're not super expensive. Like you're probably thinking Fashion Week, like, oh, it's probably like Chanel, like$600 for a T shirt. No, it's not like that. I really like Copenhagen fashion. Cause it's like very unique. A lot of them are quite scandy style or like very avant garde, like Berlin vibes. And they are very practical. I think a lot of them, Some of them are quite artsy. But at the end of the day, like if you have like ready to wear pieces from the collections, I find that they're very practical, very beautiful, and also not like ridiculously expensive where it's like, girl, no one's buying that. Cause it's like a thousand euros for a pair of pants. Like no one's doing that. So I think it's a bit expensive. Obviously u, you're paying for craftsmanship and like a higher quality of material usually. Well, you should be. That would be, in my opinion the whole point of like a unique design from a specific designer. And good fabric, good craftsmanship, good design. Something that can last for years and years, that won't fall apart in the wash. And obviously that's going to be a bit more of an investment. And I'm not buying those pieces all the time. But I do find it's very important to just get some of these brands out there to people who are not like fashion motherfuckers or what do they call that like fashion motherfuckers. But people who are not like spending all their free time googling and researching fashion brands, like most people aren't doing that. So I'm more than happy to be that person that kind of like curates and gets brands out there for like the average person that wouldn't be kind of sticking their head into the fashion world and letting them know why these brands are cool and what they might like about them. So that's why I started my blog because I just love researching things and I'm like, well, I need a place for people to be able to like research and read all the stuff that I would constantly talk about and find it in one central place and then on my social media as well. Like I'm obsessed with beauty and makeup and fashion and jewelry and I really like to promote brands and like put looks together on my social media and then I also like to travel a bit as well and show that on my social media and generally just like curate information and put it out there for people to find more easily. So that's what I pitch in my emails. Sorry, that was like a really long winded way to say that I promote like fashion, that I'm a fashion influencer, I guess, even though I like don't have that many followers. And then I also have a blog and I'm also technically a brand owner now. So I put that in my p email because I am technically a brand owner. I just need the money. It would already be done. I just need the money to kind of, you know, get all the samples. But yeah, I am technically a brand owner starting a brand and I will am technically a designer. I just like, it feels, I feel like a fraud saying all these words. But like that's how people get started. They just start doing it and you learn as you go. So like not everyone is going to like the highest end fashion school and coming away with like five years of fashion design experience if they start a brand. Like most people are not doing that honestly, unless you are specifically starting a brand to bring it to fashion week. But I have no desire to follow that path. Like for me it will be an E commerce brand for girls that want to look pretty on vacation or in their swimsuit, but maybe they have bigger boobs or they're more curvy and they get frustrated shopping same. That's why I did it. Anyway, so that's what I put in my pitch email. You, you can decide like how you want to pitch yourself, but you do have to have some sort of value to the brand if you pitch. So whatever you do, you could pitch yourself as press a photographer, you could pitch yourself as a stylist, as a makeup artist, hair artist. Whatever you do, I mean make sure you actually do it. Obviously don't just make these things up. But like what angle do you want to have and just kind of pick it and go with it. Because I know a lot of people are kind of like multi hyphenate. Like they can kind of do a lot of different things. But like what do you want to show from Fashion Week? Like I love making the vlogs, I love showing the fashion and like, like I said, like getting the word out about these brands that people probably don't know if they're not like involved in the fashion world. So that's kind of what I pitch in my email. But like I said, I met a lot of girls like the, like a PR agent or a publicist or yeah, like a writer for a fashion magazine, a fashion magazine editor. These are roles that you kind of have to have like you know, officially, but you can also be you. I mean I would say the easiest ones that you can usually start doing on your own is like fashion photography and press. You can start your own publication if you want or you can write as like an ad hoc writer for other publications and pitch yourself as press. So that's always an option. but you should have some sort of history to show for it as well. Like a portfolio that you can send along. And then I make my portfolio in Canva website and like a Canva website, because then you don't have to send a PDF and some email filters filter out external emails that have attachments. So it's just better to do a website so that it's a link. It doesn't take up a bunch of space in the email and they can view it and you can keep it updated at all times with a live link. Sorry, I feel like that was really rambly and a bit unstructured. But that's kind of how I got into Fashion Week and started pitching myself to Fashion Week. And I want to go to Paris Fashion Week in about a month. I really, really want to. I have a flight. Still don't have an accommodation because girl, I spent a lot of money at Copenhagen. So I just, I don't have another thousand euros or more to drop on a hotel in addition to everything else. So if I get a hotel collab, I will go. But it's looking like I will have to cancel my flight. So we will see. But if you know of any hotels in Paris that want to collab with me, it hit me up, because I'm totally open to it. I love making hotel content as well. But, I find that they are a bit. I mean, they're a bit more picky, of course, because they want influencers with, like, huge followings or they want strictly travel influencers. So I think when they see my following count, they're kind of like, oh, okay, I understand. But, like, yeah, especially for Copenhagen, when I pitched myself to hotels, I think they were like, that's nice of you for thinking of us, but no, because they were working with influencers with, like, minimum 150k on Instagram. Minimum. So, yeah, I think that was. Yeah, but you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. So I wanted to give a little, you know, background on that and then also the logistics of Fashion Week. So I stayed. I stayed at the Moxie Sidnahan. Syidahhan. whatever. It's the Moxie Copenhagen. It's a little bit south of the city center. I liked the location because I still felt like the hotel was very clean. It was still close enough to the city center that it wasn't, like, too big of a pain to travel in and out of the city center. And you can just hop on one of two metros. So there's like a train metro, and then there's the M. Um3 or the M M4 Metro that goes to that area. So there's two different trains you can take to the center, and then you either get off at, like, Gaml Strand or Norport Exit or stations in the city center. And they're both very close to all the Fashion Week events. So I would say, like, if you look up at a map of Copenhagen, if you're lucky, and you get mostly events that are in the center, they will be anywhere from Norport Station to Gaml Strand, and they will be usually in between that. That area. And then a lot of shows tend to happen at Refsalon, which is the forest, which is, like, northeast of the city center. And it is a bit of a pain to get to. So what I've learned very quickly. Well, first of all, it's super expensive to take taxis and Ubers, so just don't do that unless you're going with a brand and they pay for a driver for you, which would be ideal. Oh, my God, I would love to do that one day. But for those of you who are going and you won't be having a driver, the best way to get around is either through public transportation or biking. And I think next time I go, I'm going to have to figure out how to bike around, because that's definitely the fastest and a cheapest way to get around. Public. Public transportation is totally fine, but it does take a bit longer, and it can just be a bit annoying because, like, you have to go down different stations, sometimes you have to transfer, and it just takes longer. And it's honestly easier to just bike. So I would say biking is the best, and you have to dress for the weather. So I learned the hard way this time. I don't know. Last year, I do not remember being affected by the weather nearly as much, but it is very, very cold and windy in Copenhagen, even in August. It's really confusing to me because even though I'm from a state where it gets very cold, it also is very hot in the summer, and the weather is fairly consistent. Like in Minnesota, in the summer, it's hot. In the winter, it's very cold. Yeah, there's no mixing that up. It's a very stark difference between summer and winter. You can't mix it up. But in Copenhagen, it's like the summer is still kind of cold. And I'm like, why is it August? And even though it says it's like 65 degrees Fahrenheit, it feels like 45. Why? And then if the sun is out, It'll still say 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but it'll feel like 80. So the weather just is. Don't go by the number. Don't go by the number. The number essentially doesn't even matter. It feels extremely cold if it's dark and cloudy and windy, because, oh, my God, the temperature drops, like, so fast, especially with the wind. It's very windy there. And then if the sun comes out for some reason, it feels extremely hot. And it's like, maybe it's the latitude, I don't know. But yeah. So just don't even bother checking the weather. You pretty much have to plan for cold and rainy and hope that it becomes sunny and shiny. From what I've noticed, it's pretty much guaranteed that you will have at least one bout of rain throughout the day. It might be a little bit in the morning, it might be a little bit in the afternoon or in the evening. Maybe it will only last 30 or 40 minutes, but you can pretty much guarantee that it will be a Bit misty and rainy at some point in the day and then maybe the sun will come out. But I'm like, are there even meteorologists there? Because how do they even predict the weather? Like, I kept thinking that a stormfront was coming because with this type of weather in Minnesota, that would be indicative of a stormfront. And I would be like, oh my God, we have to get out of here. Like, the rain is coming. But then the rain would just never come. It would just be dark and windy. And I was like, oh, this weather is very confusing to me. I'm not used to this. So I noticed that the locals there dress with like, wind pants, long trench coats, a, ah, tank top and flip flops in the summer. Very confusing, very confusing outfit. But it works because the weather there is way different. So, yeah, you essentially, you just have to plan for cold and rainy and pray that it gets sunny and you wear a lot of layers and then you just take your layers off if it gets sunny and you put your layers back on for when it gets cold. Because it's not if it gets cold, it's when it gets cold because it will get cold anyway. So that was my lesson learned because I did not pack nearly warm enough clothes for the week. That kind of sucked. We were all shivering and cold all week and I was like, it's August, what the hell? But yeah, learned my lesson. Even though it was the second time I've been in Copenhagen last summer, we must have had a bit better weather, so it didn't bother me as much. But this year, ooh, it was like Barcelona winter, it was cold, so that's what I would recommend. And then as far as like, getting into shows and stuff, you can definitely go to shows that you're not invited to, at least at Copenhagen. I can't say for sure, ah, at other fashion weeks because again, I only have direct experience with Copenhagen Fashion Week. You can go to the venue because usually for Copenhagen Fashion Week, the venue is public knowledge on the Copenhagen Fashion Week website. So you can go to the venue, try to get in. It's not very likely, but it depends on the venue. Heavily depends on the venue. Because if it's a closed indoor venue, your luck is pretty slim. But if it's a public, open outdoor venue, then you have a pretty good chance of like sneaking into some standing room. I would recommend just going up to the attendants who are taking tickets right away, like as you arrive and say, like, hey, I'm. I don't want to bother you. Like, we don't have Tickets this time. But we would love to squeeze into standing room if you have any extra at the end. And they might, depending on the show and depending on the vibes, you got to kind of suss out the vibes. Like, if they look really stressed and crazy busy, you know, maybe don't bother them. But if it's a light crowd and, like, there. There's some flow and there's not a ton of people crowding the door, okay. If they have a second to speak to you for, like, literally two seconds, maybe you should ask them just so that they recognize you and you, like, make eye contact. And then they'll be like, maybe, okay, you stand over here, and we'll see if we have space for you. And then they know, like, you came up and asked. Cause I learned, or we learned the hard way, that if you wait all the way until the end, there's usually a group of, like, maybe 15 to 45 or 50 people that are all trying to get into the extra standing room at the end. And they only let in, like, maybe 10 people. So you've really got to be, like, proactive about it and be like, hey, don't want to bother you. I know you're busy with letting people in who actually have tickets, but. But if you could spare me just a little standing room, I would love it. Please. And usually if you ask nice enough and you are very polite and you understand that it's definitely not a guarantee, you can't be expecting that you will get in. You probably won't get in. But if you're nice enough, if you're diligent enough and you wait near the door, like, you don't want to block it from people who actually have tickets, but you want to wait near enough that you don't get pushed back by the crowd, that's going to inevitably come when they're, you know, about to close the door. So you want to stay close enough that you can kind of, like, maintain a little quick eye contact with the attendants, but not too close, that you're annoying, but not too far, that you don't get in at all. So, again, depends on the venue, depends on the vibes, depends on how stressed the attendants are. Because, for example, like, at the BIR show, they did get a little stressed, and the venue definitely could have handled more people, but they probably wanted to maintain some sense of exclusivity, which I understand. So they only let in, like, maybe five or ten standing people, and then they just put their arm out, and they were like, sorry, guys, Shut the door. And then it's like, I. You feel like such a loser. But it is what it is. Like, you try, and if you get in, great. If you don't, you know, whatever. You can't expect that. So then everyone just is, like, at the windows, like, breath hot on the glass, like, just watching the show from the side. anyway, so they were a little bit stressed at the Birro show, but then at the garment show, for example, it was outdoors at a public place, and they can't shut down the entire, like, garden and area and corridor and building just for one fashion show. So they have to technically keep it open to the public during that time, even though they do kind of like guard. Guard it off a little bit. But it's such a huge area with, like, photographers everywhere and people taking photos. And there's also still tourists walking around. So they can't like, completely block off even tourists from coming by. So you can easily just, I mean, be courteous about it. Ask about it first. But like, for the garment show, they were like, ah, it's pretty packed. Like, there won't be much standing room. And I'm like, okay, I understand. Because, like, the way they had it set up was like just one row of stools. And then there was maybe about 2ft of space before the cobblestone where there was standing room for people that were behind the stools. So there really wasn't much room for standing room in this specific setup. And I was like, hey, I don't want to take someone's standing room that got offered, like, a ticket for standing room. So we just kind of waited until, like, right before the show was starting, and then there was totally room for us to stand and watch. So we just stood in the back of the standing room. I wasn't trying to stand, like, right behind the stools. Like, I. You have to be courteous about it, like, if you're going toa do it. But, like, if you can see that there's going toa be obviously a bit of room and you're not like, bothering anyone. You can just stand behind the people in the standing room. But I would never recommend doing that as a tourist. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever. Do not do that. I hate to say it, but you need to look a certain way, and if you look like you're a tourist, I would not do that. I would not do that. But if you look like you're dressed up for Fashion week, it's fine. And most people that are going to Fashion Week are Dressed up. But if you just happen upon it as a tourist, I personally wouldn't. they might kick you out. Like, if you. If they can visibly tell that you are, like, just a passerby, then they will probably kick you out. So just take that with the warning. But then, yeah, with the other show that got a bit crazy was the rotate show. I think that was probably the. The biggest show of the week, and it was also the last show of the week. So every. Like, there was so many people there, and we tried the same tactic of going up first and just being very polite and saying, like, hey, if you have any standing room, we would be very happy to take it. you know, even though we're not, like, officially pressed with Fashion Week, like, two of the girls I was with were working for a magazine, and then I technically write for my blog, so she was like, we're technically part of the press, but we're not officially with the press, so we understand if you can't let us in, but we would really appreciate standing room. Blah, blah, blah. but the problem was that this venue, first of all, it was closed in a warehouse, but, like, the entrance was, like, up on a deck, so, like, a wraparound porch, and you had to go up the stairs and then around the corner, and then there was, like, a garage door that they opened to let people in. And so it was just, like, up the stairs, around the corner, and just really, this one corner of the building was where everyone was kind of standing and trying to get in. I think what happened in this case was that there were so many people that didn't have QR codes or tickets to get in that wanted to get in, that did. Everyone did the same thing that we did. And so the whole corner was just, full of people who didn't have tickets. So understandably, like, I totally get it. Like, the attendants were getting super angry, and they were like, if you have a QR code, get up here right now. We're running late. We need people to get into their seats. And everyone's looking around, like, literally. I was like, girl, there's probably 60 people up here, and none of us have QR codes. That's crazy. So they were yelling at the crowd, like, who has a QR code? Someone step up. Like, why is no one stepping up to the front of the line? Like, let's go. And everyone's looking at each other like, girl, who has a QR code? So then they got really angry, and they were like, everyone, get off the deck. Get off the deck. If you are not officially invited here, get off the deck. So I would say, like, a good half of the people left because we were, like, in the corner where we weren't really bothering anyone. So we stayed where we were. But there was a lot of people filling up, like, because we were one of the first people up there. And we, like, told them, and they were like, okay, fine, you wait over here. Off to the side. So we were like, okay. We kind of have, like, the okay from them to wait. But it was so m. Many people that were filling up the inner corner of the deck that was stopping people who had tickets from actually getting up. So anyway, it got pretty crazy. I was also curious, though, because I'm like, okay, if people have

tickets and it's already 8:

15, and people are not, like, coming up to the door and they're like. Because there was also, like, a food truck and a little parking lot down below the deck where people were hanging out. And I'm like, hey, if they're not, like, checking the time and getting up here to get in, I will take their spot. Because there's a ton of people down there still that obviously are the people who have tickets. So if they're not here already, I'll take it. I willingly want to be in here. If these people are just lolly gagging, hey, it's not my fault. But anyways, so, eventually they did get all the ticketed people in, and we were not pushing to try and get in that much more. So we were trying to just make eye contact with one of the attendants to be like, hey, you remember us? Like, but they didn't really let in any extra standing room. Like, I know they. They spoke to a quite a few groups of people being like, okay, yeah, let's see. And I'm kind of confused because it was a huge warehouse. Like, they could have if they wanted to. Again, I'm not saying they had to because, like, they can do whatever they want. It's their show, it's their brand, whatever. But the warehouse was freaking huge. They could have easily let in, like, the remaining, like, 50 people to stand, but it would have been a bit chaotic. I understand they probably want to maintain exclusivity as well, so I understand why they didn't. But they said they would allow some standing room, and then they, Maybe they just changed their mind and they were like, nah, fuck you guys. I think they did because they were. They were getting really annoyed. So, we were kind of standing and we saw that they were being really strict about it. So we. We kind of like backed off and we were like, o. Okay, I guess it's not happening. And then some people were crowding the garage door because there were like two attendants trying to put their arm out like this while they're shutting the, like, a full blown, like, metal giant garage door. And people were trying to sneak in like little rats. So the door closed on some girls, like, back while she's trying to get in, and then they like, shoved her out and then they closed the door. But it's like people were trying to sneak in like rats under the door as they're closing it. I'm like, you guys, what do you think is going toa happen when you get in under the door? They're gonna be pissed that you just snuck in and they're still going toa kick you out. And now for sure they're gonna, like, hate you and not want you to be invited next time. So, like, we were like, oh, okay, that sucks. We really wanted to get in, but, like, you don't want to ruin a relationship with a brand before you even have one. So this. Just take this as a cautionary tale. Not that I think anyone would do that, because I was like, girl, that's crazy. I can't believe y'all are trying, like, don't give off that much desperate energy to get into a fashion show. Like, just try again next year, guys. Like, it's okay. But there was a few people that were like, crowding the door so much, like, trying to shove their way in. And I was like, that's not the way to go about it. That's so embarrassing. Don't do that. Don't do that. But anyways, the cool part while we were standing there was we saw like, a lot of influencers that I follow walk in. And then also, Alana Hadid. And I was like, oh, my God, that's Aana Hadid. She's right there. Oh my God. Oh my God. So, yeah, there was a lot of really cool influencers there and everything. But yeah, unfortunately we didn't get in. It was really hard to see because the windows were super dirty and they were really high up off the ground. So it was just like, again, the same vibe where everyone's like, juste on their tippy toes, like, trying to see in the window. And I'm like, oh, my God. Like, are we that thirsty for a fashion show? Like, let's just like, get off their dicks a little bit. Like, it's fine. The way they treated everyone was like, a little rude, if you ask me. But I, I also understand because it's stressful and it's their show. They can decide whoever they want to come in. Like, they didn't ask for any of us to come in. We didn't have tickets. So it's fair. Like, they didn't have to let anyone in and they didn't. So fair enough. Like, I can't be mad at that, but they were a little rude. So I do have to say, though, I think a lot of the extra people were being a little rude as well. So it's like, it goes both ways. But anyway, so then we were like, okay, rats. We tried, whatever. We left. And then that was kind of the end of our night. I went to an after party. And I will say, I don't know if this is the case for every single Copenhagen Fashion Week after party or every Fashion Week after party, but they tend to start very late. So I saw one invite that I got for like, the IME Sego after party on Wednesday night. I got there at like

10:

40. Girl, it was empty. I was the first one there. That's crazy. So I went in and I was like, expecting it to be, you know, early, but I wasn't expecting to be the first person, there. I walked in at the same time as the dj and I was like, girl, you said the party starts at 10. Why

is the DJ walking in at 10:

40? Like, what am I missing? So then I was like, okay. Like, okay, maybe I'm just a little bit early, but maybe people will start pouring in at like 11ish. Whatever. So I sat down. I was doing some stuff on my phone. M trying to be productive, editing videos and photos and stuff. And it's freezing cold. Freezing cold. No heaters out everywhere, anywhere. Freezing cold. So I'm just sitting on the deck with my hood up, like, this sucks. This sucks. I don't want to drink just to drink by myself. Especially not, you know. So then I

gave it until like 11:

15ish. And a few people had walked in, but they were in a group and they already knew each other. I was like, I'm not really trying to, like, I'm not feeling super social right now. Especially now that I feel like the loser that was the first one here. And to be honest, I was shocked though, because even, you know, even if a party gets like, popping around like midnight, usually some people start trickling in around at least around 11.

And it was 11:

15 and no one else had showed up. It was dead. Like the people that came, even though they came for this party, they went next door to the patio because it was more of a restaurant vibe and less of a club vibe. So they weren't even in the club. They went next door to a different, like, patio table. And I was like, oh. And no, literally no one

else had come by 11:

15. And I was like, I. If no one is here, not even like a soul is on the dance floor or at

the bar by 11:

15. I think my time waiting has passed. So I was like, girl, I want to get up and look good tomorrow. I'm not trying to stay out super late tonight. I in my head thought an afterpar would be a cute like 10pm to maybe 1am kind of vibe. But maybe I was just super wrong about that. And I think. I'm sure each after party has like its different vibe. But yeah, so that one was empty and I was like, oh, like, maybe I'm just really early. And maybe I was. I don't know, I have no idea. But I was not trying to stay out super lateus. I still had to get up early and I go to the TG botanical presentation and get dressed and look nice and whatever. So then the party I went to on Thursday night was the Lact Demmirror party at like the Lake Pavilion nightclub or something. I forgot what it's called in Danish. But, I went to a wine bar before that to blow some time and the girls were like, oh my God, you're going to Chlamydia Castle. O. And I'm like, what do you mean? That's crazy. I don't know if I want to go there now. And they were like, no, no, no. We're just like. It's just kind of a silly joke for that club. But it's like it has a bad reputation because it's just like the party club for all the younger kids and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, oh, I don't want to go where like a bunch of little kids are like, what the fuck? So I showed up. My friend G, I met her, she's a dj. I met her and then also Tony's a dj. He told me to come as well. So I met with G. We walked in together and she was like, oh my God, why are there so many little kids here? And I was like, I know, there's like a horde of like 18 to 21 year olds outside. Why is there just children here? So she did Say, like, Thursday nights at that specific club tend to be like, the younger night of the week. But she said she was there on Tuesday that same week, and it was like, totally just fashion industry vibe, like, older people. And I was like, damn it. I would have really loved to come on Tuesday then. But hey, we're here now. Like, let's enjoy it. So it wasn't only young people, but I would say it was like a mix of, like, 18 to 22 year olds and then like, a mix of, like, older people that were there for the Fashion Week party, but they didn't close it down. So it was like a mix of Fashion Week people and, like, little kids. So, yeah, it was an interesting mix. But I did actually really like the club venue. Like, I was really scared after the girls at the wine bar said that, but I was like, wait, is it really that bad? Like, I don't know. And, what if I hate it? And I wasted all this time waiting? But the only thing I'll say is, for that party in particular, no one shows up at the club till at least midnight. And I was like, what? Are you serious? Like, I asked them beforehand, my friends, I was like, when should I show up? And they're like, oh, like, at least midnight. And I'm like, what? I don't want to wait that long. I don't. And so I did wait until, like, 1245, and then I walked in with G around 1ish and we went to the terrace. But the thing is, it has. It's actually really nice. Like, there's not just one big dance floor. Was like, mosh pit. Like, I hate that. It was a really nice big bar and there wasn't like a ton of room around it for people to be, like, squished. Like, it was. It was a nice airflow and a nice flow of people. So there was never, like, just a sardine pit of people. It was fine as far as, like, crowd controlus. I think it's nice that they didn't oversell it. Like, they always made sure that there was, like, a healthy amount of people in the club, but not too much, that it was genuinely overwhelming. And then there was also, because it's a restaurant that turns into a nightclub, there was, like, a nice patio that overlooks the canal. So we were actually out on the patio for most of the night talking with people from the fashion industry. So I was like, okay, I'm glad I went. It was really enjoyable. And I finally got to, like, put an official Fashion Week after party like under my belt so that I kind of know how it goes. So I'm glad I went. But yeah, just so you know, I'm guessing most Fashion Week after parties probably don't start until like midnight. So I don't know how people do it. How do you stay up that late and then get up and do Fashion Week stuff the whole next day? That's crazy. And the other thing I'll say about Copenhagen is just the city itself is very expensive. So be prepared to pay quite a bit more for food. Like, for example, I went to Gasoline Grill, which is one of the really popular burger places there, and it was really good. I got like, if you're gluten free, you can get a lettuce wrap. So at least they have that option. And I ask, I would ask for it well done. Because apparently they live like, like to make their burgers like raw and bloody. And I was like, that's not safe. I will like mine to be well done and charred, please. And anyway, so like a burger combo there, I think I got like just a burger, fries and a drink was like€25. So just you can use that as a benchmark. It's like the equivalent of maybe like a chick fil a sandwich or the equivalent of a chipotle burrito or the equivalent of like a goyo or a VCO burger in Spain. So just be prepared to spend over €20 on like a burger combo meal. That's crazy. And like, for example, I went to this restaurant called Llama, which I highly recommended. It's a Mexican restaurant. I went there again just to blow some time in between events when I was by myself and I was a little bit hungry and I obviously didn't want to sit there for free. Like I wanted to order at least a little something. So I just got like a Diet Coke and chips and guac. It was€20. For a Diet Coke and chips and guac, it was €20. So yeah, just keep that in mind. The food, the food is quite expensive. U. but besides that, I freaking love Copenhagen. Like every time I go there I'm like, no, genuinely, should I move here? Like, genuinely should I? But the weather, like, there's a reason I live in Barcelona. I got back and I was like, the sun, the sun. So I think I would be happiest living in Barcelona and then just frequently visiting Copenhagen because I love it, but also the weather. I think living there 247 would make me like really depressed and I think I would really miss the Spain weather. So anyway, that's just my thoughts on that. But that's kind of like a summary of Copenhagen Fashion Week. I noticed from last year to this year, the brands and events actually did change quite a bit. I thought it would be a bit more consistent, but like, I think some of the larger Copenhagen brands that are now getting a bit more well known because Copenhagen Fashion Week has been. I. I think it's even like risen in popularity a lot, even in the last year, like from 2024 to 2025. Like, some of the bigger brands, I think didn't feel the need to do a fashion show this year, like Steen Goya Ganny. I think the biggest brands that had events this year were Rotate and Guess Dues and, oh, Balmund Ferartten and MKDT Studio. So there's still some larger brands doing events. But, this year I noticed, there was a lot of, like, smaller, like the Zelando visionary winner was IME Sego. And then there's some new talent brands like Kettle Atelier. So, I noticed that. I feel like there was less events this year, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's just my perception. Yeah. So the events and the brands that attend to change each year. And yeah, so that's really my experience with Copenhagen. But I did already do quite a lot of research and to get into Paris Fashion Week, because I always thought it was out of reach because it's like, in my opinion, I guess I would say it's the biggest fashion week. But I follow Shay Amelie on Instagram, and she actually made a podcast episode, I think it was probably at least six months ago about how to get into Paris Fashion Week. And she was saying how if you're a smaller creator or like a smaller designer or just a smaller, like you have a smaller following. It's actually not that hard to get into Paris Fashion Week because. Because it's such a big fashion week. There's so many smaller brands that go there to host events and to get exposure, even if they're not part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule. There's so many other brands and events there because it's such a big fashion week that it's actually quite easy for a smaller influencer to go and still find things to do because there's just so much happening. and it's really good exposure to see how like, the. A really big Fashion week is run. So I want to go to Paris. But, guys, like, the. The closer we get, the more it's Looking like, I don't know if I can swing it this year. if I had like a few extra thousand euros to blow, then for sure I would be going. But I don't. So I don't think I will be going this year. But hey, maybe I'll have to decide within the next, like, two or three weeks. But yeah, I don't know. I don't know if it will be happening this time. So I want to just talk about Fashion Weeks a bit more generally, in case you're not really familiar. So we have New York Fashion Week, which I don't know, from what I understand is like, kind of low key, a flop as of recent years. No offense to New York Fashion Week, but I think when you compare it to the European Fashion Weeks, it's just like, not really holding up. And I heard a lot of people saying that it's like, I don't know, like the events or the shows, like, aren't as top tier as European shows. And it's just like a big influencer hub. And I haven't experienced it for myself, so I can't say for sure. But based on what I was reading online, a lot of people are like, oh, my God, New York Fashion Week lost all its luster because it's just influencers doing influencer events. I don't know if that's so bad. I mean, like I said, it's kind of changing over time. So I think that's going to be a big portion of fashion makes moving forward is like influencer events. I don't know. It just kind of is because it's a really good opportunity for brands to hop on the trend of getting into Fashion Week, bring a lot of influencers all into one place at one time. Pump content, pump, pump, pump, pump, pump content through events. And it's like a brand trip, but not. So it's like 50 brands at once can do a brand trip all in one location. So I mean, when you look at it from that perspective, it's kind of like, why wouldn't they pump a bunch of brand events into that week? So I understand that it might lose its luster in one way, but in another way it's just transforming. So I can't say for sure. I haven't been to New York Fashion Week, but I have heard in comparison to the European ones, it is like low key, a little flop. But. But, you know, I would still like to go, So, yeah, it's in February and September every year. It's considered the kickoff to Fashion Month, which is September. So New York Fashion Week's Official website is CFDA.com and it is the Council of Fashion Designers of America. And this is where you can find, like, the fashion calendar and previous fashion calendars, important dates, see shows from past seasons, everything like that. Then we have London Fashion Week, which takes place in June and September, and it's organized by the British Fashion Council. And you can find it on londonfashionw week.co.uk Milan Fashion Week occurs in usually, like, February and then September or October. And it's organized by Camera Nazionalalee del La Moda Italiana. And the official website is cameraoda it. And then there's Paris Fashion Week, of course, which is held twice a year, again, usually in, like, I would say, February and September, slash, early October. and it's managed by the Federation de La O Coul At De La Mode. O. I don't speak French, but very nice. But I do have this website bookmarked. So it's the. Yeah, Federation de la Autute Couture e'de la Mode. And it's F Hcm M. Paris. So those are the top fashion weeks. I would say, like, the big four is like New York, London, Milan, in Paris. But beyond that, obviously you have Copenhagen, which I would say is like number five. It's coming up. I would say it might even knock out one of the top four. Like, it's. It's coming up there pretty quick. But we have Tokyo Fashion Week, Dubai Fashion Week, so Paulo Fashion Week, Lagos Fashion Week, and also Berlin Fashion Week. Oh, my God, how could I almost forget Berlin? There's also m. Madrid Fashion Week. I unfortunately won't be able to go, but I thought it would be kind of fun because it's not that far from me. Like, lots of cities have fashion weeks. I mean, I think Amsterdam has a fashion week. I think technically every city probably has a fashion week, but most of them are not very well known or very highly attended. Like, Barcelona also has. Has a fashion week, and I think it's like in April and October or something. Girl, no one. Girl, no one's going to Barcelona Fashion Week. I think Madrid Fashion Week has a little bit higher attendance and, like, higher attention to it. Because I would say in general, Madrid is probably like, a little bit more in the fashion world. And then I. I've heard some people talking a little bit about Amsterdam Fashion Week, but I actually would really love to go to Berlin Fashion Week. I really wanted to go to Milan. I mean, I want to go to all of them. But like, Berlin, Milan and Paris are really high up on my list and I would love to go to all of them eventually. That would be amazing. But yeah, so for now I'm kind of sticking to Europe because it's what M is most accessible to me at this point. and honestly, just do your research. Like, you might hate ChatBT, but it is kind of nice to just get a summary of everything if you're feeling very confused and you don't know which websites and which Reddit forums to dive deep into. but then once you have a little summary, like I just asked, for example, like, can you give me a summary of all the top fashion weeks and their official websites? Cause I know some of them, but not all of them like the official websites. So if you just want to see the official websites. Cause also, well, also I would say Miami Swim Week could be included in here, but it's kind of different. but also I would say be careful when you're googling, because a lot of websites try to pass off that they are like the quote unquote official website for the certain Fashion Week. And it's not because they're trying to like grab traffic, grab leads, grab whatever from the official Fashion Week website. So just make sure you're on one of the official websites that will show the official calendar and then you can check places like Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, whatever for like details on like what other, types of events might be happening. And I think the hard part is like, unless you're an influencer that's like under an agency and you have management, it's really hard to collab with brands during Fashion Week because I think they reach out to these influencers like months in advance before the actual Fashion Week schedule comes out. So like, they already have their collabs set up months in advance. So by the time you start reaching out, they probably already have all their influencer spots filled and they probably already did hotel collabs and they probably already did travel collabs. Like for me I've noticed like, yes, I can collab with brands on like a one off basis on my own, but when it comes to Fashion Week events and getting an invite to like an exclusive dinner or an exclusive party, or like Pandora and Copenhagen, for example, like has a day where they have all the influencers come to the flagship store and they shut down the store just for the influencers so that they can all make their own necklaces and like make content out of it or like make their own jewelry and make content out of it or like the Maria Black store. Like they might have like a day just for influencers. So these brands, I think they're already pick, they already have influencers picked out like months in advance and they probably work with PR and management agencies. So I think if you want to get like start working with a brand, you have to have like a pretty decent following and you probably have to have management or like know someone that can get you in contact with the right person. So that's what I would say. But for now, let me know if you have questions. I hope that was helpful. I know it was kind of like a ramble, just like off the top of my head spewing stuff about fashion Week. But it isn't as hard to get into as you think. A lot of the events are also public facing so you don't necessarily need a ticket to go to everything. So you can still go and just go to the open events that are open to the public and you can make friends just through meeting people at those events. And then you just never know like you never know which person you might meet. They might work for a publication, an agency, a brand. And it's really great for networking. So as much as people might cringe at like you like networking and talking to strangers at all these events and like everyone feels so fake and blah blah blah, I don't think everyone actually feels as fake. Like maybe I'm not aware because I'm not in like more of the U LA New York influencer scene. But like at Copenhagen everyone has been so nice and it was very intimidating. Cause I was like, oh my God. I feel like the fashion industry like really tone turns its nose up at people that don't know everything yet or like if you're just trying to break in. I always get the sense that it's like kind of gonna kick you down before you can really get up and learn anything about it. But at least nowadays for me just starting really just last year to learn about it, everyone's been really nice. Although I will say online it is quite gay kept still. So it's because I understand like on one hand they want to maintain an E of like exclusivity and mystery and luxury. So I understand why things might be gay kept. But at the same time it's like girl, you know, we're living in another age of Internet now. Like not everything can be like hush hush behind closed doors. Like we, we can all, you know, do something creative in the fashion industry. It's fun. It's fun. It's for everyone. So I hope this was helpful. Let me know if you have any specific questions because again, I just kind of rambled. But I love talking about this kind of stuff. So I would love to do, ah, a second episode on it if you guys have any specific questions for me. And let me know if you've been to any fashion weeks and maybe we can meet up at a future one. Because I just met friends through TikTok this time. Or like, not only, but I met quite a few friends just through a TikTok that I made where I was like, hey, I'm gonna be in Copenhagen Fashion Week this year. Let me know if you'll be there. Maybe we can meet up. And I met like five or six girls that way. So let me know if you'll be at a future fashion week and we can meet up. But otherwise, thank you for listening. Thank you for supporting. Don't forget to like and subscribe on YouTube if you haven't already. And I would be super grateful if you gave me a rating on either Spotify or Apple podcasts if you've enjoyed listening. So thank you again and I will see you in the next episode. Bye.