Designers
design clothes and celebrities wear them, right. Well if there has been one
significant shift in the rules of who-can-and-who-can-not qualify as a fashion
designer, it would certainly concern that of the celebrity designer.
It was not
that long ago that the mere mention of a celebrity designing a fashion line
(particularly of high fashion womenswear) would have been very quickly derided
indeed, but today not so. In many ways it is almost the expectation for a
celebrity to try their hand at designing either their own line (Kardashians) or
have a crack with an established chain (Rihanna). It seems it’s all part of
them allowing us (an extra) little glimpse of what makes them tick, a chance to
prove they are not all dressed by stylists; they DO have personalities and
their own style. Of course these endeavours don’t necessarily mean they get
taken seriously, and nor should they; choosing a few fabric samples and
providing an item from your own wardrobe to knockoff hardly qualifies you as
the next Coco Chanel.
There are however
some notable exceptions.
There may
have been a collective rolling of the eyes when Victoria Beckham announced she
was to turn her hand to fashion design, but the naysayers were proved wrong.
BAM. Beckham immediately came out firing with an uber sophisticated collection
that was snapped up smartly! Sure it
looked remarkably like the kinds of pieces that may have fallen from her
no doubt overflowing wardrobe, but there was no denying the polish of the
execution AND presentation of the work. This wasn’t some slapped together in an
afternoon by a band of stylists- this
showed true fashion design understanding- of cut, fabric and audience. Beckham
was away and has never looked back. Recent collections have continued to
develop and move further from the prescribed style of Beckham herself; if she
used to design what was already in her wardrobe, today she seems to design what
she (and thousands of others) want in it.
Another
fine example, and one that predates that of the former Spice Girl, is that of
The Row. The Olsen twins are all grown up, and with their sharp business
acumen, have built on previous children’s wear experience to develop the
hipper-than-thou label of It girls the world over. Channelling the New York
cool and their own distinctive brand of urban ‘Glunge’ they helped popularise,
Mary-Kate and Ashley have, like Beckham, developed their brand to encompass the
sophisticated styling’s appropriate to bright young things with fabulous jobs
with which to pay for fabulous lifestyles.
Both these
examples highlight the way in which celebrities have become both inspirational
and aspirational, allowing customers to buy a little into their lifestyles.
Fashion is no longer dictated by those hidden behind the brand name or label,
but being designed by those who we aspire to be like. And what better way than by sharing a little fashion-ness.
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