According to TikTok, infiltrating Fashion Week has never been so easy

The adage “Fake it until you make it” reaches its peak today with the influx of TikTokers explaining how to sneak into Fashion Week shows without spending thousands of euros buying invitations on the black market. Self-confidence, patience, and timing: these seem to be the keys to mastering the art of crashing this iconic fashion world event. In recent years, as fashion weeks approach, content sharing tips on infiltrating fashion shows has been proliferating on TikTok. Some budding influencers who have taken on the near-impossible task of joining the guests explain how they managed to achieve their goal.

The main key for everyone seems to be self-confidence. TikToker @yaelmai, for instance, reveals in a video how she managed to slip into a Parisian show in 4 steps. The young woman explains that it first takes courage and the willingness to blend into the crowd to get closer to the entrance. Once this step is completed, you just need to wait for the right moment to take action: for her, it was the moment when the woman in front of her was allowed to enter. Then, Yael pretended to be with her and walked in alongside her past security. Her final tips are to maintain your self-confidence and keep moving forward without ever looking back. Others are bolder, like @soundsbyvalencia, who explains how she forced herself between two barriers to reach the entrance, then claimed to security that her invitation was on her phone, which was dead. A tactic that seemingly worked for her.

On the French-speaking side, @matthieubobarddeliere shares more sensible tips, such as targeting a show held on a Sunday morning—an unpopular time slot—to increase your chances of grabbing the last standing spots. This content is very popular on the video platform, sometimes reaching millions of views, reflecting the insatiable desire of many to be part of the closed circle. However, some fashion professionals view this trend with disapproval, noting that beyond the spectacle and fun of the shows, they are there to work, recalling the history of fashion week.

The early fashion weeks, which date back to the 19th century, were reserved for members of high society and the press, with photographers banned for fear of plagiarism. Today, fashion weeks welcome personalities with diverse careers: influencers, actors, and top athletes; the demographics of attendees have drastically changed since the first haute couture shows. However, even if the guest circle has democratized over the years, brands continue to restrict fashion shows to a few privileged guests. Only those personally invited by the fashion houses are allowed to attend the shows, or else they risk being turned away by security at the entrance. For countless fashion novices, this principle of exclusivity, combined with the media exposure amplified by social networks, fuels their appetite for experiencing it in person. For some, curiosity can even become an obsession.