Dear Federica, I am studying PR and Comms, and a question comes to my mind: is fashion show sitting a big challenge for real?
I think you are on the right track, so why not! Working as an event PR for a fashion brand means mastering the ultimate soft skill: problem-solving. How often will you come to grips with a last-minute venue change or need to adjust a front-row seat at a fashion show?
Istituto Marangoni London Fashion Show, 2019
“The accreditation process is complex and challenging because you have to consider so many factors: the relevance of the magazine the editor is working for and the quality of its content, the number of guests for each editorial team and their hierarchy level. And then, all these elements must fit in the number of available seats. Runway sitting is an art because you shape the audience attending the show, the highest moment of the brand self-expression. This translates into conventional options if you consider top editors and institutional press, but also into alternative invites to make sure that different voices can “read and live” the show, so to create engagement and brand awareness”, a PR manager who works for an Italian Maison said to me.
“Needless to say, it means keeping some editors out just because they are junior (people that you normally work and interact with). It is a non-written rule in the system that you prioritise top positions like the editor-in-chief or the fashion director. This can cause dissatisfaction and bad mood, but a good PR job involves frankness, and good manners always pay you back”.
Istituto Marangoni Milano Fashion Show, 2015
Organising a sitting is an art. But it is only one of a PR’s multiple tasks: calling, contacting suppliers, list-checking and so on. That said, what else do you need besides organisational skills? “Care for details and a good dose of kindness”.
Istituto Marangoni Milano Fashion Show, 2018
Federica Salto
Alumna & Fashion Editor - Freelance journalist & author of the popular newsletter La moda, il sabato mattina
Write to Federica at maze35@istitutomarangoni.com