Celebrity Fashion Lines Hit Hard By Recession
Filed under: Celebrities with Style
It's hard out there for a celeb.
Stars with their own fashion labels are either being driven out of business or forced to hawk their wares in mass-market retailers like Walmart, as the recession continues to hit consumers.
Shoppers looking for a bargain can already find the LL Cool J Collection being offered for up to half off at Sears.com. But it was less than 18 months ago that the singer-turned-designer confidently told me he expected big things from his Todd Smith line, a more expensive range that he debuted at New York Fashion Week in September 2007.
"It's not going to just be a fan club line like some of the others, it's not going to be ghetto," he told me at the time. But with even his relatively inexpensive Sears range tanking, some industry insiders are predicting that the rapper born James Todd Smith might soon be exiting the fashion business altogether.
Celeb Fashion Lines
These days, no self respecting celebrity can hold her (or his) head up in Hollywood without a clothing, shoe, handbag, or home furnishings line to call their own. But are these stars really qualified to add designer to their resume? StyleList puts them to the test. First up...
Celeb:Taylor Swift
Fashion Line: L.E.I. Sundresses by Taylor Swift
Qualifications:The young country singer is releasing a line of frocks this February that her die-hard fans will love and moms can afford. We're sure Swift's brand will expand into denim.
Charley Gallay, Getty Images
Celeb: Dita Von Teese
Fashion Line: Science of Sexy for Wonderbra
Qualifications: This burlesque bombshell spends most of her time in scanty skivvies, so we're absolutely confident she is capable of creating amazing lingerie! Of her '40s and '50s-inspired line Von Teese says "Underwear isn't just something that you put on for your lover -- you wear it for you."
Mike Marsland, WireImage
Celeb: Lauren Bush
Fashion Line:Lauren Pierce (hits stores in Spring 2009)
Qualifications: An alum of both Parsons New School for Design in NYC and Central Saint Martins College in London, first niece and former model Lauren Bush definitely has a solid design foundation. Add to that an internship at Zac Posen, a boyfriend with a designer dad (her main squeeze is Ralph Lauren's son) and the success of the popular FEED bags she designed to benefit the U.N.'s World Food Program, and it looks like Ms. Bush has the chops to make her ready-to-wear sustainable fabrics line a hit.
Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images
Celeb: Eva Mendes
Fashion Line: Vida for Macy's
Qualifications: Calvin Klein's latest controversial ad campaigns features a naked Eva Mendes rolling around on a bed, so perhaps her new venture isn't really all that surprising. The actress and her boyfriend, film producer George Augusto, are launching a collection of sheets and comforters. While neither has any design background, we're betting the betting the lovebirds know how to make a cozy nest.
AFP/Getty Images
Celeb: Mischa Barton
Fashion Line: Mischa Barton for Stacey Lapidus
Qualifications:The former O.C. star gets more ink these days for her hair accessories than her acting jobs so maybe this is a brilliant career move: She's coming out with a line of headbands made from a wide array of materials including silk, feathers and crystals, ranging in price from $40-$200.
Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images
Celeb: Janet Jackson
Fashion Line:Pleasure Principle
Qualifications:Named after her 1987 hit, the fancy pants (and matching bras) will all retail for under $40. "There's something for every woman, and that's very important to us," Jackson says. "I've always hated when lingerie is uncomfortable, so the fit and comfort was key." Nothing nasty about that, Miss Jackson.
Arnold Turner, AP
Celeb: Lenny Kravtiz
Fashion Line: Inspired by Lenny, Worn by You at Kohls
Qualifications:Hmmm, we're not sure that even Lenny's biggest fans would be inspired to wear this denim, fringe and wings ensemble, but fortunately for those who do want to emulate the the rocker's style, his jeans and t-shirts line for Kohls is a bit more traditional.
Kevin Mazur, WireImage
Celeb: Tara Reid
Fashion Line: Manta
Qualifications:Sometimes an actress, always a party girl, and now a designer. According to Reid her little triangles of Lycra are more than simple poolside attire, "It's about putting into the universe what you want in life: Red means love, pink is friendship, green is lucky, black is protection. You're gonna have a story when you wear this bikini or when you put this dress on: You'll either get love or meet a new friend or you might meet a guy." Big promises from little bikinis!
Casey Rodgers, WireImage.com
Celeb: Katie Holmes
Fashion Line: Holmes/Yang for Giorgio Armani
Qualifications: Mrs. Tom Cruise created her own storm at the LA premiere of "Tropic Thunder," debuting the first piece from her collection with stylist pal Jeanne Yang. But given the dress's sleek lines and navy blue fabric two Giorgio Armani trademarks it's a good bet that Katie got more than a little help from her silver-haired mentor.
Wireimage.com
Celeb: La Lohan
Fashion Line: 6126 Leggings
Qualifications:Lindsay Lohan's collection owes its name to Marilyn Monroe born on 6/1/26 but it doesn't look like she captured what made the '50s bombshell so sexy. Does the modern American woman really need leopard print "ankle gloves"? Or glimmer leggings? Seems like La Lohan is channeling no one but...Lindsay.
Bauer-Griffin
An eye-opening article in Advertising Age this week points out that the collapse of retailer Steve and Barry's leaves several celeb lines stranded, including Sarah Jessica Parker's successful label, Bitten. Other well-known names with ranges sold exclusively through the now-defunct chain include Amanda Bynes, Venus Williams and surfer Laird Hamilton.
Victoria Brynner, CEO of celebrity marketing company Stardust Visions, told the magazine: "Even before the economy went bad, the market became over-saturated with celebrity brands."
Meanwhile, Daisy Fuentes will be debuting her new eye-wear range this May at Walmart, rather than the more up-market Kohl's, who have sold her clothing line since 2004. Walmart also sells eye-wear branded by Jennifer Lopez.
Still, things could be worse for those Hollywood heavyweights who have lent their names to fashion collections. When you see J.Lo shopping herself at Walmart, you'll know it's really bad.
Can you guys believe it? After struggling to watch ten episodes of Project Runway this season, we finally got something good last night. No. really. This week, the designers ditched their normal impossibly thin mannequins for, drum roll please, themselves! 
It''s about that time, guys. The show will love to Tivo, Project Runway, will soon be coming to close for this season. It's bittersweet because we're dying to know which one of these ungrateful brats will walk away with the grand prize, but we're also reluctant to watch the season finale because this is the very last time Project Runway will be aired on Bravo.
Yes, boy and girls. Project Runway makes its triumphant return back to television this Wednesday night. Everyone: Yay!
When we think of Sears, electrical appliances and plasma screen TVs come to mind. True, we casually flip through the the company's mailer every Sunday. And yes, we can vaguely remember a pair of Arizona Jeans and black leather handbag being featured on a couple of the pages as "on sale." 
