Fashion week is a marathon disguised as a party. Castings start days before the shows, days run fourteen hours, and you will walk miles between venues. The models who thrive are the ones who treat it like the job it is: sleep, food, water, and a charged phone are your survival kit.
Pack light but complete: heels, flats for between shows, nude undergarments, basic touch-up kit, snacks, and a portable charger. Know your schedule the night before. Being late to a casting is a career-ending move in a week where directors see a thousand faces.
Backstage Rules
Backstage is controlled chaos. Stay out of the way, listen for your name, and be ready in minutes. Do not touch other models' looks or complain about hair and makeup. The team remembers difficult models. They also remember the calm, professional ones, and those are the ones who get called back.
Not every model walks every season, and that is normal. Use the week to network, observe, and learn. Go to castings, meet bookers, watch how veterans carry themselves. Fashion week rewards preparation and punishes ego. Show up humble, work hard, and the runways will come.
Manage your money during fashion week. Castings are unpaid, shows pay unevenly, and expenses pile up fast: transport, food, touch-up supplies. Set a daily budget before the week starts and track it. Many new models spend more than they earn during fashion month. The week is an investment in relationships and reputation. Treat it like one: spend deliberately, network constantly, and measure the return in callbacks, not just shows walked.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.