Taking Risks At Milan Fashion Week

Graphic by Emily Koch

One of the most important things we can do as up-and-coming twenty-somethings is to take risks and force ourselves into a variety of opportunities. The “fake it ‘til you make it” attitude is gaining traction amongst the Generation Z community–for good reason. Eager to experience the buzz of Milan Fashion Week whilst studying abroad, I incessantly researched fashion bloggers online. I decided upon the Jil Sander show, a brand I was unaware of , and therefore thought it would be the easiest to sneak into. Despite only a couple months of interest in the industry, I was desperate for any chance at rubbing shoulders with someone high and mighty. 

Before I even walked in, I saw exotic and beautiful outfits wrap around the entrance in the security line. People being interviewed in white, glittery pin-striped pants. Chic black feather boas wrapped around slip dresses next to monochromatic pink outfits. Seeing such authentic clothing being worn so confidently was as intimidating as it was enticing. Though my outfit–a Primark button-down shirt paired with khakis–was more reminiscent of a middle school science teacher than an Italian socialite, the excitement of experiencing a runway show in real time motivated me to stay. 

I decided to strike up a conversation with a stranger who looked approachable. The culprit? A girl from Brazil who, although appeared to be part of the crowd, confessed that she lacked a ticket, and was planning on sneaking into the show. When the opportune moment came, she took my hand and dragged me past the security guards, which was only successful because of the chaos at the door. I grabbed one of the glass water bottles with a Jil Sander logo on it and headed into the show. 

Transfixed was a massive understatement for how I felt. Little stools were on both sides of the runway and there were purple lights beaming from projectors across the room. We took our seats, and seconds after, an attendant came up to me and asked me for my ticket. I was honest, telling her I was without one, and she immediately escorted me out.

I wish I could tell you that this story had a better ending. However, I watched the live stream of the show on the Metro ride home and couldn’t help but smile–I’ll be there next year. For me, the Jil Sander show is about doing whatever you can to be a part of an environment that you want to be immersed in. As young people, we often lack the resources to make a splash in exclusive industries like fashion, but taking a risk is by far the best way to grow and evolve. It would have been much easier for me to stream the show at home without the potential embarrassment of being kicked out of the show–but then I wouldn’t be typing this story while drinking out of my Jil Sander water bottle, would I?