Work @ London Fashion Week
Finding work at London Fashion Week is often seen as the pinnacle of every freelance fashionista’s career so it’s no wonder that thousands of creative freelancers aim to work at the prestigious event every season.
The benefits of working at London Fashion Week reach far beyond the commercial gains. Freelancers gain invaluable experience and meet key players within the inner walls of the fashion industry but landing those coveted London Fashion Week jobs is no easy feat.
Here are our top 5 ways of vastly improving your chances of finding work at London Fashion Week.
Why work at London Fashion Week tip #1
Knowing where to apply for London Fashion Week jobs is the first port of call. Yes, there are awesome sites like The Freelancer Club that post London Fashion Week jobs for you to easily apply to but where else can you see what’s up for grabs?
Many positions with the top designers are held by creative agencies that represent freelance talent (photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, fashion stylists). Find out which agencies represent which designers by searching the official London Fashion Week site, clicking on the designer’s site and checking if they are agency-represented. Alternatively, search by designer and enquire directly if they are showing at LFW and whether they require your freelance services.
Why work at London Fashion Week tip #2
The other key players at London Fashion Week are PR agencies who represent the designers showing at LFW. They often require creative teams to work at their London Fashion Week shows and it’s not uncommon for them to need help at the last minute. Don’t just blitz PR firms with your portfolio, research who they are working with and personalise the email. See the schedule for LFW for a full lineup of designers.
“My most memorable moment was working on a show for an Italian designer which was being covered by Vogue Italia — during the backstage madness of rushing models into dresses we found out that each piece was worth £50k — we soon slowed down!” — Jane Bellis, MUA @ New York Fashion Week”
Why work at London Fashion Week tip #3
Off-schedule shows at London Fashion Week are just as much fun as on-schedule London Fashion Week shows. They may not have the same prestige that comes with certain brands but they are still very big, respected labels who put on exceptional shows. Check out the schedule on Fashion Scout to see who’s showing and start from there. They normally release their London Fashion Week schedule a couple of weeks before the show. Other notable shows are On|Off and Men’s Fashion Week.
Why work at London Fashion Week tip #4
Be prepared. Working at LFW is very sought after so your portfolio must be exceptional. It’s also an advantage to have fashion-show experience. You don’t need to fill your portfolio with backstage shots but if you think the employer is only going to look at your book then include one. If there’s an opportunity to tell them about your London Fashion Week experience, then mention it and leave those backstage shots out of your portfolio. Don’t have a portfolio? Test Shoot and get professional images into your portfolio book pronto. To arrange a test shoot, click HERE. To apply to Test Shoots, click HERE.
Why work at London Fashion Week tip #5
Working at LFW (or any fashion week show) is fast-paced, high-intensity and, quite frankly, insane! The phrase ‘organised chaos’ comes to mind. Make sure you show examples of your professionalism when applying for roles. That means no misspellings, examples of working under pressure, showing up to the interview on time and the ability to improvise are as important as your portfolio.
BONUS TIP!
If you can’t get a job at LFW this season then try to go to a show so that you can soak up the vibe, do some fashion show networking and get a sense of what a real fashion show is all about. We’ll be giving away LFW tickets closer to the time so watch this space for your chance to win them. Failing that, head over to the show locations to hang out with the fashionistas, network and take some street shots.
