We are now officially into New York Fashion Week. World renowned designers will show their fashions, surprise/frighten/amaze us with the styles and trends for Fall 2011, and provideenough fodder to fill our media dreams. I am in awe of the amazing fashions for 2011 thus far but also excited for all the publicity and PR that goes into making a successful fashion week. Add in social media and it has totally changed the fashion game. Bloggers sit first-row with A-list stars and major fashion editors. Fashion brands are using multi-platform online, mobile, and social media campaigns (like Betsey Johnson and Steve Madden) making fashion “more accessible and attainable to the masses  not just those sitting in the first row”. PR, marketing, and advertising firms and agencies are working overtime (and then some) so following the fashion happenings online pays kudos to not only the designers but to everyone that makes it happen.

Here are some helpful tips to follow New York Fashion Week if you don’t have the opportunity to be there or simply can’t be in attendance:

• Twitter is an excellent way to follow New York Fashion Week, interact with others at the events, and even score exclusive tickets to shows. @MBFashion week is sponsoring a contest to win tickets to the Max Azria show by tweeting your favorite Fall 2011 trends thus far. Follow #NYFW (a cool hashtag that is a microsite in itself) and #MBFW.
• The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week main site is an excellent introduction for all the great designers. You can also follow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Facebook.
• Fan of Project Runway? Blogging Project Runway follows the Fashion Week comings and goings of Christian Siriano and the like.
• According to fashionablymarketing.me, ShopStyle, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week’s first mobile app partner, launched a must-have fashion app that will make your New York Fashion Week experience that much more fashionable and informative experience. Navigating through Fashion Week just got a helluva lot easier!

Some sites I will be following as they provide real-time and behind the scenes coverage is Essence.com, Stylist.com, and also watching the Livestream of the events. Dont forget to tune to Tumblr–do.not.sleep.on.the.Tumblr.

Happy Fashion Week! Feel free to add any sites you will be using to follow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! Check out Mashable’s How to Follow New York Fashion Week Online for great tips and their picks for great online resources.