don’t go into credit card debt to attend fashion week
how invites work, getting paid assignments as a freelance writer, and whether having a fashion substack is enough to get through the door.
“The Molehill was the first paid Substack I ever subscribed to. I’m from the Bay Area and now live in New York, and initially fell for Viv’s sartorial style. What’s kept me is her writing — genuine, thoughtful, and fun. She offers fashion inspiration that feels unique and deeply engaged, yet never intimidating. It’s stylish, smart, and completely accessible.” — Isabelle
Attending fashion week was never a top objective for me.
My job might be industry-adjacent-ish, but at the end of the day it’s not a necessity for me to be there. NYFW seemed like a cool opportunity to see a high concentration of creativity and style inspo in one place—but nothing I’d travel across the country for out of pocket during one of the more expensive weeks for flights and hotels. (For reference, accommodations for my international 2 week trip to Tokyo cost roughly the same).
I’ve even heard of people going into credit card debt to “do fashion week” as a networking investment…which then never paid off. But you would never guess, based on how glamorous and successful their photos made it all seem.
So as my freelance writing career grew, I was firmly resolute in attending NYFW on my own terms. Which meant that my attendance would be contingent on booking paid jobs/assignments that would cover the costs—and then some.
This year, it finally happened.
Today’s newsletter is the fashion week AMA issue, where I answer the most common reader-submitted questions, like:
How do freelance writers land paid assignments at fashion week?
How does getting invited to shows and events actually work — is a fashion Substack enough to get you through the door?
Can you be normal and chill there or do you to be On at all times?
& more behind the scenes camera roll tidbits!
Let’s get into it.