Fashion
What They Don't Tell You About Attending Fashion Week
As a Filipino writer attending Fashion Week for the first time, I felt out of place for various reasons.
by Nicole Cruz
Published on
I’m no stranger to fashion. I’ve had the privilege of working for Preview, on and off, since 2015. Through various internships, I also dipped my toes into other aspects of the industry outside of the media–styling, marketing, public relations, and the like. Fashion became my world and part of my “branding” as a person. And yet what’s strange is that, even though fashion is my home, I sometimes feel like a stranger. That’s the feeling that was most prominent during my first Fashion Week experience.
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Before I dive into that, let me give you an idea of what the schedule was like. Each day had at least one event, and the most I had was three. It doesn’t sound like much but when you’re figuring out directions, getting your outfit and makeup ready, and shooting content of Milan in your free time, yes, it’s a lot.
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I thought I’d get to try a new restaurant and have brick-oven pizza followed by tiramisu, but I just didn’t have the time for a proper meal. Fast-food Italian pizza was top-notch, though.
The events were either runway shows or re-sees, which were exclusive showroom visits held after the shows. Attending events isn’t new to me because it’s part of working in the media. I know what outfits to wear, how to do my makeup, and how to work my way around a room to meet new people.
Lifestyle
When it’s Fashion Week in Milan, you can feel it everywhere. And you can see it. You can differentiate those who traveled for the event from the locals. Fashion Week goers dress trendier, have a bounce in their step, and are magically always so put together.
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As for me, I struggle with acne breakouts and live by a capsule wardrobe so the same pieces are on rotation. I also don’t own luxury items except for two secondhand bags I bought online. Compared to the glamazons of Fashion Week, I looked ordinary in the outfits that made me feel amazing.
It’s not just the looks that set them apart, though. It’s their aura and lifestyle. “Are you here for Fashion Week?” asked the girl at my hotel’s front desk. They’re used to hosting the Fashion Week population, and I saw a bunch of them during breakfast. I saw someone frantically typing away at her laptop at 8 a.m., probably pressed for deadlines at a fashion magazine. Some folks came dressed to the nines while I was in a black shirt and jeans because I couldn’t be bothered to get ready before having coffee. There was a tall woman with hydrogel eye patches who asked for a coffee to go—a model. She must have owned the two suitcases and Camper Lab tote bags stashed with clothes I saw in the lobby. I’m pretty sure she was the same girl who had a private chauffeur.
As for me, I’m not even sure the front desk believed I was there for Fashion Week when I answered yes.
Experience
It’s been a while since I covered fashion. I’m currently based in Belgium where I just wrapped up my master’s program in communication studies. I’ve been busy but I still keep tabs on fashion happenings and trends through Instagram, so I have an understanding of what’s been going on with the creative direction of luxury brands. But seeing how articles are published just hours after a runway show made me realize how fashion editors are walking encyclopedias. Imagine feeling so drained from the hustle of the week but still having the energy to churn out a well-written review minutes before attending the next show.
Kiton
S/S ‘25 COLLECTION PREVIEW
Hogan
S/S ‘25 COLLECTION
MaxMara
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Marni
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I also noticed how moneyed clients in showrooms are so deeply invested in the brands to the point that they know which details are new and what’s been changed in certain pieces like handbags. Truly, you need to live and breathe fashion to be able to keep up.
Bottega Veneta
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Gucci
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Fendi
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Jil Sander
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Expertise
I had never been tasked to shoot content, so my week in Milan was my baptism of fire. It was challenging because I was a one-man team, but I wasn’t alone. Other publications were manning the venues and doing the same thing I was assigned to do: document the show and interview influencers. Only they had done it so naturally; I could tell they’d done it a thousand times before.
As a strategy, I made sure to stay updated by checking out the brands on Instagram before the show to get any clues on the direction of their collections or the celebrities in attendance. What helped me was Smart’s Gigaroam, which was also a lifesaver in between events for navigation during commutes. Creating content quickly entails having a good eye and the best tools.
Representation
I didn’t want to make this about race because, in my view, fashion is much more diverse and inclusive compared to what it was lightyears before. Although many Asians were present during the shows and re-sees, such as influencers and moneyed clientele, it wasn’t the same for the media.
Asian faces were a minority at fashion events. I also noticed that the Asian media were grouped during runway shows. Perhaps, it’s for organization but it felt weird, like a line had been drawn and labeled “Asian press.”
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One brand representative from an event I attended (who was Asian) walked up to me to introduce herself and said, “I don’t usually see people from the Asian media here. Where are you from?” She seemed genuinely happy to meet me.
Gatekeeping in fashion has been an ongoing topic for years. It refers to safeguarding the confines of fashion’s borders to limit entry and retain exclusivity to a specific population. It makes sense considering the industry’s couture roots in Europe, which cultivated an elite clientele and fashion press. Despite the so-called democratization of fashion through the Internet and social media, my Fashion Week experience has led me to believe that the luxury fashion industry has largely been Western.
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At the Bally S/S 2025 show, the brand elevated (quite literally) tailored jackets with standup collars, lifted shoulders, and defined waists that snatched slightly away from the body.
The hegemony of European and American fashion brands and media will remain a fact because, let’s face it, they established the industry. People from the rest of the world will forever be players in the game, and even though they get through the doors and keep getting invited, I feel like there will always be an “us-them” delineation. Such is the ideology lurking behind the curtain, and that explains why there are dedicated APAC representatives to court clients and press from that region. Influencers from the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea, of course, amplify brand equity in those countries and attract more clients.
At the end of the day, fashion is all about business, and fashion week is its ultimate marketing stunt. It’s a week where brands must retain attractiveness among existing clients, and this entails putting up a magnetic runway show, a seamless re-see experience, and enough online buzz to keep everyone talking. I stumbled upon a few online resources that measure brand popularity on social media and which influencers have the most engagement.
Fashion Week is also business for the media, Preview included. It’s a playground where the world’s most fashionable stars appear which can serve as fodder for content. I was naive to think that I’d be the only person from the press who’d be scrambling for interviews. There were dozens of other reporters with microphones and cameras who were running around for soundbites. I’m sure many people from the media genuinely get to know influencers and celebrities, but the pace of Fashion Week can breed detached opportunism.
Speaking of opportunities, Fashion Week also meant business for a flurry of photographers. While I manned runway show premises waiting for style mavens to interview, I noticed how there weren’t just official press photographers beside me but independent ones looking to beef up their portfolio with famous faces.
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At Superstudio Maxi located in Milan, where the brand holds its runway shows, we explored the Spring/Summer 2025 collection inspired by the decadent 1920s.
It was the same for fashion folk, too. At the Fendi venue, I noticed some “influencers” who never entered the venue. I was able to interview some of them who shared that it was “their first time at Fashion Week.” I only realized later on that many women come to the event vying for attention, perhaps to gain exposure online and build their personal brands. It works because photographers and the media (myself included) can’t memorize every single influencer on the planet so we just shoot clips of everyone we see. “It’s impossible to know everyone,” a photographer told me.
Come one, come all
After the Sportmax show, I walked back home and saw one model whom I made small talk with. I mentioned that it was my first time attending Fashion Week. She responded by saying, “May I ask, how did you get invited?” I knew she was only being curious but I couldn’t help but feel a little insulted. This might sound presumptive but perhaps that was the same thought on people’s minds when I was at parties and showrooms surrounded by well-coiffed brand reps and their wealthy customers. Sometimes, I felt eyes on me as I entered a room.
Sure, I did not look like a typical fashion editor. And yes, I am from the Philippines.
But when we’re all in the same room for the same reasons, our differences don’t matter unless we want to highlight our uniqueness. And wasn’t being there enough to prove my legitimacy?
Fashion has become more inclusive, yes, but it’s not a level playing field. Access is still limited for homegrown publications, but influencers can help uplift them. When I said I was from the Philippines on two separate occasions, brand representatives immediately mentioned “Heart and Pia.” It’s bold women like them who are paving the way for more Filipino recognition in the “global” world of fashion.
Filipino fashion stars flocked Bally's Spring/Summer 2025 presentation during Milan Fashion Week, including Pia Wurtzbach.
I was in Milan proudly representing Preview, which has existed just a year longer than I have. Preview stands for championing Filipino creativity—that’s always been the case, and I’m sure other media brands at Fashion Week have similar advocacies. However, that all gets erased in Milan because our eyes are trained on fashion that doesn’t belong to us. But what if Fashion Week wasn’t focused on just fashion capitals? Is it possible to have a global Fashion Week with a truly inclusive, diverse environment? I’d love to see that happen, but sometimes ideals remain ideals.
The fact is, power and prestige are always at play, even more so in the glamorous world of fashion. I realized that to get to the level we wish to attain for Filipino fashion and homegrown media, we must play the game.
We need more brave people to showcase their talents, and for homegrown publications like Preview to continue the proudly Pinoy representation by sharing their stories in innovative ways while sincerely nurturing relationships outside our borders. This means equipping journalists with the skills and tools necessary to get the job done, and in turn, reporters must also “look the part” in an authentic way.
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Perhaps eventually, when people like me introduce themselves at Fashion Week, they’ll be welcomed with open arms—red carpet included. I look forward to the day we call the international runway home.
All photos and videos in this story are by Nicole Cruz.
Nicole Cruz is an experienced fashion professional, the author has worked with Preview since 2015 and has a diverse background in media, styling, and PR. Based in Belgium with a master’s in communication studies, they maintain a close connection to fashion trends.