Tips on how to “work” a fashion event

Since the birth of my previous blog and now this site, I have attended many a fashion event. From Fashion Week to local store pop ups to international designer showcases, I have tried my best to be there. By no means am I a “top” or “well known” blogger with accolades up the wazoo but yet my email is inundated with invites on a daily basis. I have been feeling a little elated because a majority have been in Europe but of course I am not able to attend these….. yet.

Most of my non blogger friends have ideas that I am such a socialite and live such a glamorous existence when in all actuality every “soiree” I attend, I am WORKING. While I love seeing fellow bloggers and friends out, it is not purely social for me. Like any female in fashion, I love to be seen but I also treat each and every single fashion event I attend like I am at my 9-5 with projects and deadlines. I am either circling the room handing out business cards, talking to bloggers I have never met, snapping candids or working the heck out of social media with live updates. This is what I love. This is what gets me going when I attend something.

Some of my tips and trick for “working” a fashion event:

• Always find the person hosting or someone from the PR team that is putting on the fashion event and introduce yourself
• Take pictures of the food on the trays at an angle… food looks so much better at an angle in my opinion
• Also shoot the event from different angles, dont be afraid to stoop down and hop on a chair (with permission of course)
• Capture candid moments more so than posed ones. I love snapping people laughing or hugging or snapping their own pictures
• Always instagram or insta-story at least 3 pictures WHILE the event is happening: 1) Food 2) Event Details 3) A pic of yourself enjoying the event in your stylish glory
• Look for small details that people often forget to snap… chandeliers, table settings, shoes in movement, a bag swinging on someone’s shoulder, the first pour of champagne etc
• Hand out business cards or exchange information with PR gals/guys, the photographers and even waitstaff of the events (never know when you will need fabulous catering services or need to know who the big wigs are) and ALWAYS send a thank you email with the recap link included
• Do not stand in one corner. Make sure you hit every inch of the space because you or your camera does not want to miss a thing.
• HAVE FUN!!! Remember while its work, it’s also still social.. find your happy medium and stick to it. I personally spend the first 30 minutes working HARD and then loosen up for the last 20-25 minutes or so.

this was hands down (no pun intended) my favorite capture of any of the events I have attended. She was just looking at the photographs and decided to do this and I was at the right place at the right time. I loved it!

photos are from a time where I did not understand editing and was just starting out. Please don’t mind the quality. This was 2012 Jen Jean-Pierre 🙂