How to Attend Miami Swim Week

miami is hot AF in the summer, and i’m not just talking about the temperature. in mid-july companies from across the world gather in south beach to promote their swimwear and resort collections.  the fashion shows, trade shows and overall vibe is epic.

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i’m from florida, and my dad lives in miami, so the city feels like a second home.  south beach has a culture of its own though, and swim week is the perfect time to visit if you’re a content creator.

i found out about the event from fohr card, an agency that connects influencers with brand opportunities. they were looking for bloggers who were interested in attending, and i clicked a box saying yes without a real plan to be in town. i was shocked when invitations actually started rolling in.

i’m always down for an adventure so me and bae packed our bags, and two days later were in miami sitting front row at a show.

WATCH: 2017 Miami Swim Week Review

admittedly, i hadn’t even heard of swim week before i was invited. now it’s one of my favorite events of the year.

while 75% of our first experience was divinely intended (completely unplanned), i learned so much about what to expect.  read below for the tips i put into action this year.

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how to attend miami swim week

1. reach out to people early: the major show producers are hammock, dive, and cabana.  each of their websites has information about how to attend their shows. instead of going through fohr card this year, i pitched to each directly back in april. i think giving myself a three month jumpstart put me in front of the cue. as the show dates approach and things get more hectic, folks are going to be less likely to respond to your emails. plus, space is limited.
2. maintain your connections: if you receive a response, make sure to keep in touch with folks. i saved all my swim week emails from last year in a folder that i used as a roadmap for this year. i also followed up to say thanks for the opportunity to attend and shared my digital content. it’s all about adding value to each other’s brands, not just waiting to be photographed.
3. all schedules aren’t open to the public:  knowing what runway show happens when and where can be a bit tricky. you may have to be diligent with your contact to figure out the exact schedule. i incorrectly assumed that just having my name on “the list” meant we’d be given a schedule of information about the runway shows. wrong. however, a smile and politeness goes a long way because we made our way into the sports illustrated swimsuit show which was the week’s major event. the diversity of size, ability, race and appearance was mind blowing for a runway show.  in fact, a group of black models were turned away from another swim week casting for being too dark and having natural hair.  i have lots to say on this topic so stay tuned for my next post on diversity in the fashion industry.
4. show invitations can be very last minute: aside from being invited to the shows hosted by the major producers, designers book their own venues to host private events. i started to receive these invitations a few days before the actual shows. leave room for these last minute invitations because they are more intimate and better for capturing content.
5. trade shows are perfect networking opportunities: i won’t lie, i was confused as hell when i walked into the cabana tents. i thought i was going to attend a runway show, but it was actually a trade show. duh. during swim week, buyers are looking to source brands for their stores. there are wayyyyyy more buyers than bloggers, so folks were a little confused about who i was and what i did. no worries tho, i’m pretty good at networking and quickly understood that i could use the opportunity to find potential partnerships. overall, if you’re a blogger or content creator and interested in swim week don’t skip the trade shows. these events can be super beneficial to your business.

what i’m wearing

earrings | asos

top and pants | d/eleven (11 district square sw, washington, dc)

handbag | cult gaia

shoes | zara (sold out)