Are Celebrities the New Fashion Designers?

The style of Americans is constantly transitioning. With new designers and upcoming labels being created everyday and multiplying due to more accessible outlets and technology, Americans, now more than ever, have access to multicultural styles from across the nation. Where New York was once thought as the fashion capital of the country, and perhaps even the world, Southern California is gaining more prominence due to Hollywood celebrity influence, completely changing the way Americans gain exposure to the newest trends and fashion.

This has even changed the way designers do business, where once, advertisements and commercials was the most significant way to showcase their threads, a paparazzi photo of Paris Hilton in a certain designer's clothes can make headlines in the tabloids, and accidentally promote the designer. It is not based so much on news print and media to display these clothes anymore, saving millions of dollars in advertisements, but it is the act of giving away free clothes to celebrities, in hopes that they will to wear their designs on a particular day that they get shot in a paparazzi photo. The whim of Hollywood celebrities now has precedence over choosing the trends of Americans across the nation.
Several Hollywood celebrities including Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton and Gwyneth Paltrow have gone even a step further from showcasing other designer's lines, into actually starting their own lines. Seeing first handedly of the influence that they have over promoting other designers just by wearing their clothes, has enabled them to envision the great success they potentially could have by creating their own lines. Nicole Richie has already started her own jewelry line named House of Harlow, with aspirations of branching out to clothing, shoes and handbags. Currently, the price of this jewelry line ranges from around $55 to over $400 and is sold exclusively at Kitson, a popular boutique in LA known for its celebrity customers. It is astounding that such accessories made of metal and tin, probably imported from China or India, without any real precious stones or metal can be so pricey. (http://www.shopkitson.com/index.php?pageId=2&manufacturer_name=HOUSE+OF+HARLOW+1960&show=all).It is also common that many celebrities just lend their names to a brand in order to promote it. Where they may not have any actual say in the result of their products, if the label says Victoria Beckham on it, it will sell out. Take Paris Hilton's shoe and handbag line for instance. Paris Hilton claims to have no knowledge in designing and sketching. She obviously has no idea how to construct clothing herself, never the less create handbags or shoes, yet her line can be found in Macy's department stores nationwide. (http://www.theinsider.com/news/642268_Paris_Hilton_Launches_New_Footwear_Line_At_Macys)
Furthermore, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Gwyneth Paltrow, has decided to launch her own fashion line for next fall and winter. The line will be named ZOEtee's Loves Gwyneth and will be a capsule collection for ZOEtee's, a French fashion house. Paltrow claims that the proceeds of this line will go towards London's Kids Company, drawing attention towards this charity in assisting children over the UK area.

Where it is common for celebrities to use the attention that they attract to promote their movies, events and clothing lines, it is also an upcoming trend for them to use the attention that they attract to draw awareness to other charities and good causes. Now, with all these various celebrity collaborations teaming up with charities, it is so easy to be fashionable and philanthropic.

Written by Catherine Jang, fashion intern at San Diego Model Management http://www.sdmodel.com
Catherine can be reached at: cathyjang@gmail.com

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