Take a minute and think of an idolized figure in the public spotlight. A person may be thinking of a famous actor or actress, reality television star, a popular musician or even a famous model. Now take a minute and think about what they are really known for. Do they act and now sing? Or do they sing and now act? It seems to be a popular theme among the people we admire to extend their exposure by displaying even more of their “talents.”
In addition to acting, signing music contracts and modeling in various advertisements, the newest form of exposure is the production of personal fashion lines.
From Sarah Jessica Parker and Lauren Conrad, to Justin Timberlake and Sean Combs, everyone is doing it. These various fashion lines are taking into consideration the personal interests and style trends of celebrities themselves and making available to their dedicated fans.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Lauren Conrad may not seem to have much in common, but they have each taken their love of fashion to the next level.
Bitten, Parker’s fashion line, was inspired by her obvious love of, and addiction to fashion. In collaboration with Steve & Barry’s clothing store, Bitten has quickly taken off.
Steve & Barry’s is one of America’s fastest-growing national mall-based concepts that promises to sell clothing and accessories at the astonishingly low price of twenty dollars or less. After hearing of Steve & Barry’s ingenious concept, Parker was hooked and produced a tag line that reads, “Fashion is not a luxury; it’s a right.”
Bitten is reaching out to Parker’s many admirers, giving women of all ages the opportunity to turn their closets into the ones they have fanticized about. Consisting of approximately 500 clothing items and accessories, including knit shirts, wool and cashmere sweaters, dresses, lingerie, jeans, jewelry and footwear, Bitten has everything one needs for a wardrobe makeover.
Appearing in the most recent headlines and the newest participant of this latest trend would be “Laguna Beach’s” Lauren Conrad, or as her friends refer to her, “LC.”
Conrad is widely known for her current role in MTV’s “The Hills,” and this young reality star has recently launched her own collection on Sept. 15.
As a student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California and with the privilege of landing an internship with Teen Vogue magazine, Conrad has had the support and exposure she needs to get her first fashion line off the ground.
Consisting of a mere 10 items, Conrad’s line has hopes of attracting teens with its youthful and flirty looks. Containing simple pieces, Conrad uses her own stylish influences to provide shoppers with comfortable clothes that are easy to accessorize resulting in a multi-faceted look. Visit shoplaurenconrad.com to view the entire collection and get details about purchasing some of Conrad’s hottest creations.
This fashion driven trend is not confined to female celebrities, even though it may seem surprising. Some of the most fashionable males in the industry are producing their own fashion lines and partaking in this latest trend.
Lines, such as Justin Timberlake’s William Rast inspired by a collaboration of country style with a hint of ’50s flare, are targeted towards the fashionable men and women of their early twenties into their late thirties.
Combs, or more commonly known as Diddy, has invented a line of merchandize which he calls Sean John. This hip-hop collection of shirts, jeans, hats and outerwear is geared towards boys and men ranging in age from 12 to 40.
Both collections have hopes of reaching out to the young men, and women as far as William Rast is concerned, of the world and providing them with opportunities to update their basic styles. As one may have noticed, the range of clothing for men is lacking, and these lines hope to give men’s clothing a much needed revamping.
Celebrities are using their success to their advantage and using the fame they have to fulfill their wildest dreams.
As they fulfill their dreams they are also allowing their fans to fulfill their hopes of being just like them. So the next time you swear Lauren Conrad just walked past you on High Street, take a second glance because it may just be a fellow fan sporting her latest fashion line.
Maggie Cosgrove is a second-year student majoring in Elementary Education. She can be reached at MC626229@wcupa.edu.