London and New York — Kaki Huebner, MA Fashion Communication

Kaki Huebner first approached New York Fashion Week, leveraging her connections and her former role at Sporty & Rich. London came next. She tracked down press lists, emailed every contact she could find, and offered help wherever it was needed. “Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you,” she says. “Seek them out.”

Huebner initially expected an intense environment, but the reality was warmer and far more human. “I heard that people could be mean or standoffish,” she recalls. “But everyone was very kind and welcoming.” That kindness set the tone for the rest of her week.

She was also surprised by how alive the creative process is right up until showtime. The big shock? How garments can remain unfinished until moments before models hit the runway. She observed pieces being stitched and adjusted minutes before they debuted.

“You have to sense when you can approach someone and when silence is the only respectful option.”

Her learning curve was centered on patience. Fashion Week requires bursts of intense activity followed by long stretches of waiting and listening. “People always tell you to insert yourself,” she says, “but during Fashion Week, sometimes it’s better to take a backseat and help where it is really needed.”

One all-latex show required her to polish every look with baby wipes pre-runway so they would shine. Her most stressful moment came when the designer asked her to assist with the final, most complex look.

“I’m not sure why he trusted me,” she says, “but it was exciting, stressful and thrilling all at once.”

Her experience built up her ambition. “It just made me hungrier for more!” Huebner reflects. The experience helped her build confidence and a more robust skillset for future roles.

Malta — Rebecca Delia, MA Fashion Journalism and Editorial Direction

In Malta, Rebecca Delia reported on Fashion Week in real time. Writing freelance for Times of Malta, she pitched a backstage-focused series to run parallel to the paper’s usual coverage.

“I wanted to go beyond the surface,” she explains. “Instead of saying who showed what, I wanted to understand the designers’ processes, the models’ experiences and the energy behind the curtain.” Based on her prior experiences, she anticipated movement and adrenaline backstage.

Over the course of four days and three to four designers and shows per day, Delia conducted interview after interview. By the end of the week, she had racked up 36 interviews, from designers and models to photographers and even Miss Universe Malta.

She recalls that her mornings were spent submitting articles to her editor, and afternoons charging gear and arriving backstage by 2 or 3 PM to plot who she needed to speak to ahead of the pre-show rush. “Timing was everything,” she says. “You have to sense when you can approach someone and when silence is the only respectful option.”

The week deepened her love for fashion journalism’s blend of narrative and critique. “It made me excited to write more,” she says. “And more aware of how especially important critical reflection is when you’re documenting someone’s work.”

Chicago — Maria Elise C. Bugge, MA Fashion Journalism and Editorial Direction

In Chicago, Maria Elise C. Bugge entered Fashion Week with no modeling experience and no expectation beyond curiosity. “I applied as both a backstage worker and a model,” she says. “I just wanted to experience the industry from the inside.” She was cast immediately, and after S/S2023, selected as a resident model for F/W2024.

Her expectations matched reality. “Fashion Week is exactly how you imagine it,” she says. “Stressed managers running around, stylists doing everything at once and models waiting still in the middle of the chaos.” Yet she says the energy was an incredible feeling.

The biggest surprise was the model bag, or the unspoken survival kit every model must carry. “Heels in different heights, black and nude basics, comp cards, boob tape…everything,” she laughs.

She also didn’t anticipate how last-minute everything truly is. “It’s completely normal to get a text asking you to show up somewhere with almost no notice.”

What stood out to her most was the sense of teamwork. “I thought it would be intimidating,” she admits. “But everyone backstage is rooting for you. Designers want you to shine in their garments; the whole crew wants the show to succeed.”

Her most high-pressure moment was walking live on ABC News at 4 AM. “I was full of adrenaline,” she says. “It was both terrifying and exciting.”

Fashion Week also helped Elise understand the direction she wanted to take with her career. “I want to discuss, reflect on and express ideas. That’s why fashion journalism feels right for me.”

Her advice to others: “Do it if it energizes you, but don’t force it if it drains you. Just like a relationship,” she laughs. “Talk to people, stay close to your fellow models and post your photos!”

Across London, New York, Malta and Chicago, one truth is unmistakable: Fashion Week is less about access and more about agency. These students stepped forward deliberately. They pitched editors, emailed press lists, applied for unfamiliar roles and learned how to improve in real time.

Their stories remind us that Fashion Week is also a training ground—a space where young people discover not just the industry but themselves within it. And sometimes, the most revealing insights come from students who enter the room with curiosity and leave with clarity.

Words by Manuel Tasso Moreno, MA Fashion Communication