Keeping and Eye on Celebrity Design Collections

Posted on | March 6, 2008 |

by Robert Passikoff

A recent study has shown that many celebrities, i.e., actresses and models have taken to launching their own design ventures, but no big surprise there. With product differentiation more and more difficult to come by, and agents and managers seeking new revenue streams for their clients, what could be more practical? After all, today’s sign of celebrity is that a name is often worth more than her services, so why not put out a line of clothes or jewelry or accessories?

The thing is that there is a big difference between a line of clothing or jewelry “borrowing” equity from the celeb and the celebrity actually having real credibility as a designer. Additionally, consumers are smarter about such things and are A) skeptical about “celebrity” offerings (can you spell “contractual minimum”?), and B) expect more and more every day - especially from celebrities who they anticipate will deliver the kind of glamorous lifestyle laid bare in the tabloids and on TV entertainment-news shows.

So the magic word regarding celebrity product lines is -integrity. Does the clothing or jewelry or accessories on offer sparkle as brightly as the stars themselves, and for a good reason? On the one hand, Natalie Portman is a vegan and so her line of non-leather footwear stands up to scrutiny. On the other, celebrity-model Heidi Klum designed a collection for Jordache because, she said, “I like glitzy, shiny things!”

It s true that superstar names can translate into super sales. Just look at the success of the lines from Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, and Sarah Jessica Parker. But generally speaking, more important than the product line itself is the integrity of the star putting his or her name on the label (whether you have a “J” in your name or not). And these days, given the sophistication of the average consumer, that s an iffy proposition even for a great actress.

Of course, they always have Henry Ford’s advice to fall back on: “Integrity is crucial for business success - once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

Robert Passikoff is founder of Brand Keys Inc. (New York), a brand and customer loyalty consultancy.