30 photos show the unglamorous side of New York Fashion Week

• New York Fashion week is kicking off mid-February.
• This year, NYFW will livestream runway shows, panels, and movies — but it's not all glamorous.
• Behind the scenes, models get blisters, fight exhaustion, and try not to fall.

As the press works tirelessly to make sure New York Fashion Week looks as glamorous as possible, behind the scenes, it's not always as elegant as it appears.

Winter NYFW, which runs through the middle of February, is especially difficult because of freezing temperatures. Attendees have to battle the infamous New York wind, oftentimes waiting in long lines just to attend a 15-minute show. This year, NYFW will be live-streaming runway shows and panels, saving many attendees from having to brave the cold. But running Fashion Week in the middle of a pandemic offers a new set of unglamorous challenges.

From broken heels and blisters to freezing rain and tons of diva moments, these photos reveal the unglamorous side of New York Fashion Week.

Being a model isn't always glamorous. New York Fashion Week usually means early call times and hours spent in a chair with people pulling at your hair.

A sleepy model gets her hair done.      Michael Stewart/WireImage

Models have to sit through the hair pulling with no complaints.

A model winces as her hair is pulled.      Paul Morigi/WireImage/Getty Images

The pain continues on the runway, as some models end up with blisters from those sky-high shoes.

A model's Band-Aids are seen during a show.      AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Trying not to fall is a whole different dilemma.

A model tumbles down a set of stairs on a runway stage.      Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Stairs proved to be quite tricky for models at the Givenchy Spring 2016 show.

Another model takes a fall and has to be helped up by audience members.      Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

A wipe-out can not only interfere with the flow of a show, but models can get seriously injured.

A model slips while walking in the Herve Leger by Max Azria show.      Scott Gries/Getty Images for IMG

But falling can also humanize the fashion world a bit.

A model smiles off her fall and gets back on her feet.      STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

Once the show begins, designers can only hope that everything unfolds as planned. Diane Von Furstenberg could do nothing but watch as a light rig fell and landed near audience members in 2005.

This show was held in Bryant Park, which made the set design more difficult than usual.      Thos Robinson/Getty Images

Backstage can also get tense in the minutes leading up to the show - usually with designers and production barking orders.

Designer Kimora Lee Simmons yells backstage minutes before her show.      Bryan Bedder/Getty Images For IMG

Even models as experienced as Gigi Hadid can get flustered before walking.

Gigi Hadid.      RW/MediaPunch/IPX/AP Images

Kids can't always keep their cool, either. Here, North West has a minor tantrum while sitting front row with her mom at the Alexander Wang show.

Kim tries to distract North with candy, which is probably a rare find during Fashion Week.      Craig Barritt/Getty Images

To ease the stress of it all, some audience members bring their dogs to the show.

Designer Scott Studenberg brings his puppy to take in all the latest trends.      Monica Schipper/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows

Some dogs get more access than attendees.

Attending the dress rehearsal.      Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for New York Fashion Week: The Shows

This dog got the chance to watch a dress rehearsal before attendees were let in.

In the past, photographers have often been cramped together, with some even spending hours sitting on the floor just to get the perfect shot.

Attending a show is worth it, even if it means having to sit on the floor.      Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images For Michael Kors

They dressed in their best, but attendees at previous years' shows had to wait in long lines before they even took their seats.

Luckily, this line is inside.      Manny Carabel/Getty Images

Fashion Week is held in the summer and winter so attendees have to either wait in the thick heat, or the icy New York wind.

Attendees try not to sweat through their glamorous outfits.      Roy Rochlin/Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Once it starts to snow or sleet, getting to and from shows can become a nightmare.

A man shovels the stairs in front of a fashion show.      BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Once attendees take their seats, they have to wait even longer before the show comes on.

Shows usually only last about 15 minutes.      Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for IMG

Source: Harper's Bazaar

Then once the show ends, it is a mad dash for the exit, as attendees need to make it to their next scheduled event.

Everyone snaps one final photo and then books it out of there.      Albert Urso/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows

Backstage, makeup products are crammed into the limited space.

Drugstore makeup brands are a lot more common than you would think.      Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

When models aren't being made up, they usually just pass the time by sleeping in any corner they can find.

It's not uncommon to see a model lying on a floor.      Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

It is becoming more common for shows to be held in obscure locations, including parks and subway stops. This means unglamorous, mobile bathrooms.

The bathrooms for a fashion show in Bryant Park.      Thos Robinson/Getty Images

Attendees probably didn't plan on having to duck into a small stall wearing a couture outfit.

A bathroom attendant helps a fashion-goer into a stall.      Thos Robinson/Getty Images

In the past, elevators have been jam-packed with models and designers rushing to the green rooms.

Christian Siriano, left, packs an elevator with models ahead of the presentation of his spring line.      AP Photo/Kevin Hagen

Streets outside the shows were just as crowded, as paparazzi raced through the city trying to capture photos of celebrities.

Paparazzi even capture every day people.      Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Fashion Week has even turned the streets of New York into a crowded runway - New Yorkers could forget getting to work on time.

Taking over the streets.      Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis/Getty Images

There's truly no escape from the press. The Yeohlee show was held at a subway stop, making the commute impossible for locals.

Press block an exit at a New York subway stop.      Scott Gries/Getty Images

Wintertime doesn't stop the madness. Photographers have to bundle up and brave the cold to get the perfect shot.

Wind and snow won't stop the paparazzi.      AP Photo/Diane Bondareff

In 2020, New York Fashion Week looked a little different as local designers and models had to follow COVID-19 regulations to keep the event safe.

Models in masks can add a whole new level of difficulty for hair and makeup artists.      ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

But through all the mishaps and stress, New York Fashion Week is always a fun spectacle to enjoy and a great look inside the fashion world.

Anna Wintour watches the Tory Burch show.      Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tory Burch

• Read more:
• Here's what it takes to plan a New York Fashion Week show in 5 days, from creating the runway soundtrack to casting models and testing hairstyles
• 40 times models fell while walking down the runway
• The 28 best celebrity looks you may have missed at New York Fashion Week 2019
• People watched models get dressed on the runway at a one-of-a-kind fashion show