Style Talk
Tinseltown Trend: Celebrity Clothing Lines
Are celebrity clothing lines all they're hyped up to be? Lua Farnoush takes a good look.
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The ever-present trend of celebrity designers is very rapidly turning into an epidemic even more widespread than the international adoption craze that swept over Hollywood not too long ago. However, one has to wonder just how into designing these celebrities actually are. Do they actually do any of the work themselves or do they have designers working for them to make the clothes that they only sign off on? Or are they even less involved than that, merely being the front person for a talented designer who doesn't quite have a face for television?
One just has to wonder. So here are the names behind a few major celebrity labels and what can be said about them.
House of Deréon: Beyoncé
In the days of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé Knowles's mother would design virtually everything that the Destiny's girls wore for photo shoots, special events and performances. Clearly a talented seamstress, Beyoncé kept her mum by her side when she decided to go it alone and eventually the House of Deréon label was formed. The clothes I've seen, like many couture-esque labels out there, seem to play heavily off the brand name being displayed deliberately in bright flashy colours, but none can deny this woman's creativity. If my mother could make clothes like that, I'd probably still be letting her dress me too!
L.A.M.B.: Gwen Stefani
This woman took the entertainment world by storm with her eclectic ska-punk-pop musings. She actually managed to make bleach blonde hair look classier than Marilyn Monroe ever could. Her sense of style, though sometimes questioned, was always a true expression of herself and the icon she was to become, rather than another faceless beauty.
Her line of clothing and accessories reflect this crazy flair of hers that her fans have come to love, yet I still find a lot of the clothes incredibly subdued, to say the least, compared to the incredible pieces in her own wardrobe. She once paired a crisp Gucci tee with a blue and black vintage Vuitton pencil skirt (long before they even hit the scene) and threw on gorgeous classic red Louboutins that may actually have been redder than her lipstick. This is the hip avant-garde Gwen that I hope will start being reflected in her designs soon, rather than pink velveteen jogging suits. I do, however, love her line of purses and clutches.
JLo: Jennifer Lopez
I cannot tell a lie, I do own a couple of assorted pieces of lingerie and loungewear that I excitedly purchased when her line first emerged. Since I found out that she doesn't even design them herself, however, I have solemnly sworn not to purchase a single item more, and I wear the currently owned pieces on a highly infrequent basis. I already knew that she lip syncs at concerts, but this is a whole new rank of fake. The line itself has a very calm, passionate, sleeping-in-with-your-beau-on-a-Sunday feel to it, relying heavily on creams, ivories and light rosy pinks. Not what one would expect from a Bronx-born superdiva with booty insurance, and for that I commend her. But seriously Jenny darling, I hope you at least pitch the concept of the clothing to your designing team instead of just sitting in a room and nodding when a model walks out in something mildly cute.
PMC for Mango MNG: Penelope and Monica Cruz
On a recent impromptu shopping trip, I stopped in at MNG to buy a ton of clothes that I really couldn't afford, but maxed out my credit with anyhow. When I went to put on one of the shirts I took a quick look at the label and saw the celebrity name printed there. I had bought something from a clothing line about which I had no knowledge. After some quick Googling, I found that Monica, Penelope's sister, had always had a passion for clothing design, and they both always had a love for it. They have recently been contracted by Mango to design their sisterly line and I am very glad they did. Their clothes are classy yet sexy, incredibly comfortable and very versatile. I will actually go so far as to say that anyone who dares call herself a fashionista should have a piece of PMC in her closet.
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fashion for the fashionable
With the multitude of celebrity designers, it would be impossible to discuss all their individual merits and shortcomings. However, I will say this to the celebrity designers out there, stamp your name on whatever clothing you want, but at least let the clothes reflect your personal style, because when all the hype has worn off only the integrity of the name will prevail.
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| Question: How important are celebrity clothing lines in your wardrobe?
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