Fashion Designer Credentials Required

For all the luxury fashion brands that flourish there are many more that flounder. Over the course of the past few fashion weeks, I have found myself wondering about the high-end fashion brands that are no more. Just recently, actress Katie Holmes spokesperson announced that Holmes and her stylist, Jeanne Yang, were ending their fashion line. Creative differences may have come into play based on the rumors swirling around the announcement; however, whether that is true or not, the brand never really seemed to elevate their designs to a level demanded by those whose responsibility it is to assess the worthiness of luxury apparel presented on runways and in lookbooks. Could this perhaps, have been the reason for the downfall of the line? The answer may never be revealed; however, I have come to my own conclusions about the reason some celebrity lines have been successful while others have not. Note: The above and below looks are from Holmes & Yang Spring 2014 Ready to Wear Collection. Photo Credits: Style.com

Entry into the world of the luxury fashion industry is to me like trying to enter an elite club. If you don’t have the right credentials you either won’t be accepted or you won’t be allowed to remain for long. Sometimes, when people knock on a door even if they are celebrities the door does not open. This analogy is certainly true of celebrities whom try to gain acceptance into the elite world of luxury apparel design. If they want to have staying power as a member they must demonstrate to fashion editors, writers and a slew of other fashion elites that they intend to make fashion design their career. Otherwise, they risk being perceived as someone who dabbles in this or that but can not be taken seriously.

I suspect that this is the reason Sweetface, the high-end line launched by Jennifer Lopez, was never really accepted by fashion insiders as a luxury line. Jennifer Lopez, in my opinion, has an Energizer bunny outlook on life for sure. She sings, she dances, she acts and she judges talent. My goodness, I am exhausted just listing all of her ongoing achievements. I wonder if fashion insiders did not take her brand, Sweetface, as seriously as she deserved because of a belief that she was just another celebrity trying to get into their elite designer club without giving her full attention to the craft of designing luxury apparel.

 Fall RTW Look (Old); Source

Fall RTW Look  (Old); Source

I believe that this mentality has resulted in an uphill battle for celebrities whom start their own fashion lines. History seems to support this. Celebrities whom either temporarily or permanently sideline their acting or music careers to attend to the development of their high-end fashion lines appear to have more success than those who don’t. There are, of course, celebrities whom have defied these odds by managing to have a successful entertainment career and fashion career; however, the number of celebrities whom are able to do so is few and far between. Those who are able to do so appear to be able to manage both careers so successfully because they are savvy enough to have a shrewd and talented design partner and head designer.

For every extinct celebrity brand, however, there are others that have flourished. L.A.M.B., Gwen Stefani’s brand has maintained its fashion cache at a steady pace since its launch. Reviews have generally been mixed since the launch of the brand but one thing that has been universally agreed upon is that Gwen Stefani has remained true to her personal aesthetic. You can always envision her wearing the clothes she designs. Perhaps, this is the reason she has been so successful. The success of L.A.M.B. seems to prove again that in order to have a sustainable career as a fashion designer a celebrity must prove to the fashion world that they are so serious about pursuing the art of fashion design that they will make it the center point of their career. Gwen Stefani, for example, took several years off from creating music with the band No Doubt to focus on developing her fashion brand. The songstress may have been given more props because she set her music career aside to attend to her brand (and of course to start a family).

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, founders of arguably one of the most successful celebrity luxury brands, have proven their mettle in the fashion industry with their lines, Elizabeth and James and The Row. Their brands are lauded as consistently commercial, super refined and are widely worn by other celebrities. When celebrities wear your clothes that is a sure sign that you have been accepted as a legitimate fashion designer. So eager were the Olsens to start their fashion careers that they left school early to do so. Obtaining a degree from a storied design school is the best route to success in most cases but they bucked the trend. This duo exhibited a zealousness for apparel design that fashion elites just could not turn away from; particularly, after they demonstrated by their immediacy in starting their line that they were completely devoted to all things fashion.

Like the Olsens, fashion doors have also opened to Victoria Beckham. She seems to have, by sure will and a knack for recognizing what classic style really means to have ensured the door was opened wide and with a smile for her. Her fashion house is growing in spades with talk of a possible menswear line. Is there anything this woman can not accomplish in the world of fashion? She seems to have gone from the pop world to the fashion world in warp speed but it is apparent that her dedication to her craft has made her a fashion designer that has earned the respect of the fashion sartorialists.

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Earlier I mentioned that there was an exception to what seems to be a requirement to focus only on a fashion career. The exception is the clothing line, Edun, founded by rock star Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson. This luxury brand has successfully stayed the course while Bono maintained his music career. It has been extremely beneficial, of course, for them to consistently have a strong head designer to capably oversee the creation of garments. It is apparent that their goal to support the trade industry in Africa as well as to contribute to the creation of jobs in that country has always remained at the forefront. As a result of their relationships with talented individuals in Africa this brand is synonymous with creating fashion-forward textiles which are in turn used to create the garments in their collections. The brands experimentation with textures may be the reason they have garnered so much admiration from their fashion industry peers.

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Fall 2014 RTW Look; Source

Who do you think is the most successful celebrity designer or co-founder of luxury apparel and accessories?

Thanks for reading my post. I hope you have a great week.

Please contact me at sharon_pate@att.net if interested in a partnership or online personal styling session.