No, you don’t need a front row seat to have a front row seat at fashion week anymore. Quick turnaround online slideshows on sites like style.com and behind-the-scenes stuff from Jak and Jil blogger Tommy Ton can make anyone feel like a fashion editor. But there’s really no substitute for seeing the stuff in person, which is why you’ll want to stay tuned as the next round of trunk shows make their way to our town.

While the main objective of retailers holding trunk shows is to get serious buyers in front of serious clothing (and the main objective of serious shoppers is to place advance orders, potentially scooping up the only size 8 on offer and etc) you don’t need the dough to own Raf Simmons’ minimalism in order to appreciate it. I won’t pretend to speak for any retailer’s floor staff, but I love seeing starry eyed yet respectful design students at trunk shows.

That said, it’s time to take out your date book. Collections by some of the biggest names attached to spring 2011 are coming to town starting this week. Preview the looks in the slideshow here.

NORDSTROM DATES OF NOTE:

Naeem Khan; Wednesday, January 26 & Thursday, January 27 from 11 to 4
To RSVP for this Nordstrom Downtown event, use this online form

Jil Sander; Wednesday, February 2 from 11 to 4
To RSVP for this Nordstrom Bellevue event, use this online form.

Valentino Friday, February 4 from 11 to 4 EDITED: This event has been postponed.
To RSVP for this Nordstrom Downtown event, use this online form

Chanel; Tuesday, February 8 from 10 to 4
To RSVP for this Nordstrom Downtown event, use this online form