Question: What do you think about Celebrity Fashion Lines?
Celeb fashion lines seem to come and go with the seasons. We keep thinking that they’re on their way out for good, but some new pop singer or reality TV star always comes around ready to clothe us, all the while ensuring they’re property overexposed. Most of the time, a fashion line with a famous name behind it is just that… it has little more purpose than to rip off shoppers. In the past year, some celebs bowed out before it got too embarrassing – like Mandy Moore – while others managed to churn out some crappy albeit creative ideas, like Katherine Heigl’s hospital scrub line.
Are there celebrity fashion lines out there that inspire, rather than sicken? Have you bought something from Averil Lavigne’s line at Kohl’s, or tried on one of Taylor Swift’s sundresses at Wal-Mart (assuming you’re petite and can wear stuff in the Juniors section)? What do you think of Celebrity Fashion Lines?
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
There two types of celebrity lines.
The first is where the celeb treats the line like a hobby, a paycheck, or an opportunity to expand their brand. These tend to be a waste.
The second is where the celeb is personally and creatively invested in the creation and success of the line, like P Diddy’s Sean John and Gwen Stefani’s LAMB. These lines and their creators tend to have the respect of the fashion industry because the celebs themselves get that fashion IS an industry, and not a past time.
@capitaltee I would add they also partners with real, established designers and really learned the retail business. They also actually wear the clothes they produce..
Utterly GOOFY! Why would one want to dress to look like someone (something) else!
Avril Lavigne’s line = BAD Fergie’s line = BAD Daisy Fuentes’ line = Pretty decent
And the actual desiger diffusion lines have been pretty good, like Vera Wang at Kohl’s, Tracy Feith at Target, Mizrahi at Target. I think of these designers as celebrities in their own right, which is why I include them in the comment.
I do not trust celeb branding. I purchased a Rachel Ray chef’s knife three years at Sur La Table because I cook a lot. This $70 knife’s handle is now seperating from the blade. The knife also needs sharpening all the time. A $10 no name knife would probably work better. I have never seen a knife seperate from the handle before upon less than daily average chopping. I have recently replaced my celeb branded knife with a Japanese blade. I know this my post does not relate to fashion but I believe it pertains highly to the celeb branding trend.
I meant to write “three years ago” in my previous post about my Rachel Ray knife. Sorry to all of you for my lack of proof reading before posting..
Hello! This is my first post here
I think the lines are here to stay, with perhaps more thought going into who may have more longevity in terms of choosing who gets a line.
These celeb lines have multiplied over the years, but I still remember the Jaclyn Smith collection at Kmart being there since I was a little kid (very short time ago, hehe!).
I think with all the money spent on advertising and “branding” manufacturers and stores see these lines as an opportunity for built in marketing and “market awareness” and all that business stuff.
So I do think the are hear to stay.
What do you think are the BEST lines of those that are out there?
Maggie in Miami
Clothing makers should focus on quality and design, not waste money on celebrity names.
Some of the lines are totally vanity lines where you even wonder if the celebrity did more than take the paycheck that went with lending their name (how very Krusty the Klown). I do miss the Sarah Jessica Parker Bitten line at the late Steve and Barry’s. Not every thing was a spot on fit (somethings I wore were a size large, some were an XXL) but I did adore her jeans. I still have a couple of pairs that I wear because they are comfy and were inexpensive. I hope she can find another way to make sure that “fashion is not a luxury.” I remember reading an article with Sienna Miller a couple of years back talking about her fashion line and disparaging (without mentioning names) the inexpensive lines out there. Her attitude was that her high end stuff was somehow going to be something her fans should want to blow their paychecks on not realising that many of her fans don’t have $200 for a blouse.
Taylor swift’s stuff at walmart looks like a complete mess that would lose shape after a wash. The only reason it looks decent in ads is because the girl herself could wear a laundry bag and look amazing. Mandy Moore’s Mblem is boring vanilla; Lauren Conrad’s collections are overpriced James Perse imitations; Whitney Port’s collections are nothing you can’t find already existing in mass-market stores. Let’s not even talk about Heidiwood. In general, the celebrities need to have their own sense of unique style you want to emulate to have a collection worth looking at.
-Heidi Klum’s jewelry collection is pretty cute though, with its clover theme. -Penelope Cruz did some stuff for Mango that is decent in the $70+ range. -Justin Timberlake’s William Rast line is drool-inducing -Kanye West’s stint with LV is memorable, if not affordable -Sienna Miller and twenty8twelve is adorable, but you seriously need to get that on sale -Natalie Portman and Te Casan? Shoes were funky. -Kate Moss’s topshop line is wildly successful even though we’re in a recession
Following celebrities dress code is quite costly. Why not just be ourselves and be our own celebrity? I’m not totally impressed with their way of dressing because I know most of them are just wearing borrowed or shall we say a <a href=“http://www.bradfordsbakers.com”>gift</a> or “for commercial purpose” dresses only.