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Run Through

3/27/08

6:20 PM

Celebrity Designers Proliferate, But Mrs. Beckham Is a Difficult One

Hayden Panettiere: inevitable designer.Photo: WireImage

Before we can make a joke about how we hope Such-and-Such Celebrity doesn't go and design a clothing line, Such-and-Such Celebrity goes and designs a clothing line. (See: Ashlee Simpson.) WWD has devoted a lot attention to the topic of the explosion of celebrities-cum-designers (which they call "delebrities" — oh, har), which we've boiled down for you, since we know you're all busy people.

The analysis in sum: Teenagers go nuts for these delebrity (God, now we're saying it) lines, but now that there's so many of them, they're losing their appeal. So retailers keep kids interested by keeping the new lines coming, churning through them to keep up with shortened attention spans. Successful lines are designed by "good girls" like Miley Cyrus, while a "difficult person" like Avril Lavigne, who's "easy to hate," might not do so well (she's working on a line for Kohl's). Also: Hayden Panettiere and America Ferrera are likely to have their own lines soon since teen girls really, really love them. Just accept it now so it stings less when it becomes a reality.

And a random gem: Victoria Beckham hasn't gotten much negative publicity lately, but there are little nuggets to be found.

Fraser Ross, owner of the Los Angeles-based Kitson stores, said his number-one issue with celebrity clothing lines is the lack of participation from the celebrities.

"There has to be more support for their retailers. The celebrity has to be 100 percent involved with their own line and they have to be willing to support the retailers who are selling it. Having a clothing line should be treated by them as no different than selling an album or promoting a movie," he said. "I'm fighting right now with Victoria Beckham's people because she lives here in L.A., we sell her line and she won't come in here to do an appearance. We have customers asking if she will come in and what am I supposed to tell them? She lives here, she really should come out and support her fans, the people buying her jeans." (Beckham has, however, made numerous personal appearances in other stores that carry her line, recently doing a multicity tour with Saks Fifth Avenue.)

What's one more stop, Posh? Kitson is, like, the Polo Lounge of celeb-shopping pit stops. Who doesn't swing by that place for a photo op? Wear some Christian Siriano and they'll really go nuts.

Fashion Scouts New Talent [WWD]

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Edited by Amy Odell

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