Jack of All Trades, Master of One | Are celebrity clothing lines just a passing trend?
What is it with celebrities suddenly becoming jacks of all trades? Actors, singers, models, perfumers, clothing designers – I can only imagine what will come next.
When Sean “P. Diddy” Combs launched his signature clothing line back in 1998, a tidal wave of multi-tasking celebrities was about to crash. Whether it’s the money, the added fame, or the power of influencing trends that keeps these stars on the go, celebrities everywhere are developing clothing lines.
Take Kate Moss, for example. Her surprisingly frugal designs for TopShop were – unsurprisingly – a HUGE success in stores and online among legions of women. So does the success of her TopShop collaboration have anything to do with her experience as a model? Perhaps, but it could be greater attributed to a serious sense of design and a knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work for today’s modern woman. Kate, after all, is a shining example of a woman who has found a balance between work, play, business, and pleasure. Her clothing line, ranging in styles from shorts and pants to jackets and sweaters, are kindly priced from £12 to £150, and all are articles of clothing that Moss wears on a daily basis.
Moss at a TopShop fashion show. (source: Stephen Lock, telegraph.co.uk)
More famous for social situations than acting abilities, Sienna Miller tag-teamed with her lesser-known but equally-beautiful sister Savannah, to launch the line twenty8twelve in early September. The success of the line thus far has proven phenomenal, perhaps due in part to the recipe of Sienna’s celebrity status, Savannah’s background in design (she’s worked for Alexander McQueen), and the support of Pepe Jeans “jean-ius” Carlos Ortega. While twenty8twelve boasts a more a pricey clothing lineup, shoppers can still find items for an average price of £220. Another bonus? The clothes were heavily featured in Vogue magazine, garnering attention from the upper echelon of the fashion world.
Sienna and Savannah Miller, twenty8twelve designers. (source: nowmagazine.com)
Less in the lime light until lately has been Sadie Frost, whose FrostFrench compilation with BFF Jemima French is probably the most reputable of all celebrity collaborations. Showing true entrepreneurial spirit, the duo recently opened a fashion outlet in stylish Islington. What better way to solidify their status as serious designers than to open their own shop instead of just collaborating with a High Street store.
Sadie Frost and Jemima French at a 2006 FrostFrench show. (source: bbc.co.uk/radio1)
So is it just a good poker face, or are these celebs dealing out a winning hand? If public consumption has anything to do with it, they’ve all dealt a royal flush. Now speak your mind – which line has the most staying power – Kate’s, Sienna’s, or Sadie’s?
