Q&A for How to Organize a Fashion Show

That depends on your overall theme. If the theme is winter clothes, for example, you could call it "Cool Clothes" or "Frosty Fashions."

You should advertise your fashion show via flyers, newspaper, and word-of-mouth. You should also have some food/refreshments, and advertise that they will be served as well. You should NOT overdo the clothes--no more than 10 outfits maximum. You also shouldn't brag, especially if your show went well, or else people won't want to come to the next one.

Ask your local schools, pizza shops, and businesses if they would be interested in sponsoring your show in return for advertising.

Ask someone else to help you organize the show. Then, if you don't want to go on stage, you can ask your co-organizer to do it instead.

The best commentary at a fashion show is about the style of the outfit, what kind of occasion it will be perfect for, the type of fabrics used in its construction, and any accessories/adornments which make the outfit unique. Don't forget to ask the designers about their inspiration for the creation of the outfit, this makes for good talking points.

Yes. You should do multiple rehearsals with kids, and make sure you choose kids who tend to be in good moods - not fussy kids.

Most fashion shows last 20-30 minutes. Because the pace is so quick, you can showcase 30-40 outfits in this short amount of time.

Search online or visit local boutiques to ask about donations for your show. Small boutiques might have designer clothes or unique pieces that you can't find in bigger department stores.

Use social media, make fliers (ask a friend who is good at graphic design to help you or hire a professional) and hang them up in local businesses, take out ads in the local newspaper, and ask friends and family to help spread the news.

That is okay! A lot of people who attend fashion shows are looking for inspiration, not just brand name clothing options.

Have all the models wear the same outfit (such as jeans and a T-shirt with your logo/brand name) and have them walk down the runway in the different footwear. That way, the focus will not be on the clothes, but the footwear. Film close-ups of the shoes at certain points to put up on a big screen.

Depends on the overall theme and season. If it was a winter theme, blue and white may do well. If summer, perhaps yellow and blue.

Yes. Depending on how big it is, you may need help. But, if you're confident and know what you're doing, go for it.

You may not want to have a fashion show, but a jewelry showcase instead, where you can have people come and view your jewelry up close. If it were placed in a fashion show then people won't be able to get a good look.

It depends on how long the show will last. If it is long, you will want to serve refreshments before and after.

The theme is decided by either the individual or the group planning the event. If someone is the designer and it also planning the event, they probably have an idea for what the theme will be. It can be something you are interested in (like summer fashion) or a showcase of design-students end-of-the-semester projects.

You could start your fashion show by explaining what the theme is or what organization you are supporting. Are you raising funds for a charity or showcasing the work of local design students? Let people know why the event is taking place!

It is extremely helpful to have a commentator or an emcee who will announce the designers. In addition to giving information, they help keep the energy level up throughout the event.

You earn from a fashion show by making the ticket price greater than the amount needed for the actual show. So you have a certain amount of money you need to cover everything from models, help, etc. Using that you set a price for the ticket. You then decide the amount of money you want to make per ticket aside from the already set price. An example would be if you decide each ticket would be $5 and you want to make $4 profit from each. Then each ticket would be $9 to make sure you get that $4 profit.

There are so many options for themes! You can go by color or season, by fabric material, by age group, or you could even get really creative and do a theme like "Tea Party" or "The Royal Wedding."

You shouldn't have to register your show as a business unless you are regularly hosting shows for profit.

You can choose to charge them if you want to. Some shows do charge vendors to participate in the show, or if you are hosting a smaller event you could let exhibitors donate items for free in exchange for free promotion.

It depends on the reason for it and the crowd that it is attracting, but preferably around 1 hour.

Make a list of what you want, and a separate list of what you think is achievable from that first one. Talk to local designers and small boutiques alike, use official letterhead with the logo from your boutique to do so. You can also go to colleges and modeling agencies that offer courses to look for your beauty team.

Most shows are 20 minutes long and showcase 30 outfits or more, so for a 1 hour show you could potentially show close to 100 outfits. Keep in mind that if you are having a longer show you may need to hire more models.