PRACTICAL VIEW : What to Do If You Want to See a Show

As time draws near for the July presentations of the haute couture fashion shows in Paris, the question of who can attend comes to mind.

It’s a snap to get in if you’re an accredited journalist, a celebrity or a steady customer who’s not squeamish about spending as much as $25,000 for a dress. But if you’re not among those few, how do you get into these exclusive shows?

Buy a seat through a raffle. Last October in Los Angeles at the Carousel Ball, an annual fund-raiser, there was a silent auction of luxury goods. And one of the items on the block was trip to Paris, with tickets to Valentino’s couture show. Chairwoman Barbara Davis says couture seats may be offered in future auctions. “The fashion community has been very generous,” she says.

Take a commercial tour. Pan Am organized a fashion-lover’s tour of Paris last January, for example. The weeklong trip came with a hefty $92,000 price tag. It included shows at top salons. It may be offered again.

Pull strings. If you spend lots of money at a designer’s Rodeo Drive boutique, try asking the store manager to get you tickets.

Catch the rerun: After the first show of the week, some houses repeat shows. It’s easier to get tickets to these later presentations.

Consider going back to school. Students at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising get tickets through Paris fashion houses, some of which have representatives on the school’s advisory board, for couture and ready-to-wear presentations.