The Death of the Fashion Designer - Long Live the Celeb Designer

11 Responses to “The Death of the Fashion Designer - Long Live the Celeb Designer”

1. Steve Portigal
   Posted from: 69.104.244.185

   October 1st, 2004 at 11:37 am

   In the product design world, the designers themselves are becoming celebrities - yeah, you’ve still got the Ewan MacGregor chair that recently appeared, but Karim Rashid and Michael Graves and the rest are becoming these celeb-endorser brands when there was previously nothing. In fashion, you had designers who were celebs for being designers and as you say they are being displaced or at least joined by celebs who are NOT designers, but what do you think about the path that this is taking in the designer world?
2. Simon King
   Posted from: 82.45.189.85

   October 4th, 2004 at 6:47 am

   Had not thought of this from a product POV.

   Thoughts……..

   I can’t see the mass market product design market being insulated from this celebrity phenomenon at all. Its only a matter of time before Sean Paul launches a lifestyle furniture range, it has to happen. But……..

   What I don’t think will happen is that Celebs will become design Icons / influencers in the same ways that Karim, Alessi or Eames are. Their products are just as much about the art of design as they are about making money and their direct influence is felt rather more in design circles rather than by the public who only feel it through the ripples these massivly influential designers create in the design community.

   Also I can’t imagine that designers Karim, Graves. Lloyd Wright etc becoming household celebrities in their own rights, rather they become the celebrities of the design world per-se. Where their influence amongst designers is forever growing but only in the circle of design.

   In fact the only case I can think of where a celebrity becomes a product designer and makes an impact at a core design level is Lord Lindley the Queens grandson who has made a good living for him-self producing £50,000 tables and furniture sets. (Although some may argue that his design is un-original and pandering to his peer group rather than being inspired by vision and he is undoubtedly a poor example to have mentioned in the same pargraphes as Eames (Sorry Ray)).

   Conversely an example of a product designer turning Celeb would be Terrance Conran with the successful launch of his Habitat stores. Perhaps the only example where a product designer gets serious public recognition outside the designer influence circle.

   So I guess there is one example that I could think of where a product designer had become recognised outside the design world. I’m intrigued about what you mean Celeb-Endorser brand, if you mean that they are brands that influence other designers then I’d agree but I don’t think this is new.
3. Piers Fawkes
   Posted from: 209.208.135.173

   October 4th, 2004 at 1:09 pm

   Slightly tangental but still interesting:

   Reebok is opening a celebu-level, upscale Rbk store in Hollywood complete with a VIP room stocked with Cristal, Dom Perignon and Red Bull

   http://www.adrants.com/2004/10/reebok-becomes-celbu-sneaker.php
4. Guy Brighton
   Posted from: 209.208.135.173

   October 5th, 2004 at 10:42 am

   Now Damon Dash has introduced Rocbox branded MP3 players to his music empire.

   http://blog.ziffdavis.com/sync/archive/2004/10/04.aspx
5. Guy Brighton
   Posted from: 67.154.172.218

   October 12th, 2004 at 1:57 pm

   Hip Hop Star Brands: http://www.nypost.com/business/31673.htm
6. PSFK
   Posted from: 66.151.149.17

   January 10th, 2005 at 10:32 am

   Jade for YOO: The Celeb Designer Marches Into Architecture

   Over the last five years the YOO brand has become one of the most innovative and visionary property developers in the world. Founded by John Hitchcox and Philippe Starck, the YOO name has
7. PSFK
   Posted from: 66.151.149.17

   May 27th, 2005 at 11:01 am

   Celebrity Designers : Brad Pitt Joins Frank Gehry

   Last year PSFK talked about the affect the ‘celebrity designer’ was having on fashion. Then we noticed Jade Jagger’s partnership with Yoo, the property developers. Now, we see another example of how celebrities are getting involved in architecture. Fra…
8. designer catalog
   Posted from: 66.176.85.122

   July 5th, 2005 at 12:24 pm

   Really nice story, thanks,
9. collins adekoya
   Posted from: 213.31.189.43

   July 30th, 2005 at 12:31 pm

   hello sir,
   Am a fashion designer and l seek for a catalogue to be in vogue in fashion world,l need it so much if u can get it for me.
   my contact phone number 2348030733252 to reach me. thanks please get back to me.
10. Elise
    Posted from: 66.65.113.230

    August 1st, 2005 at 1:33 am

    Trends are always interesting, where do they start, where do they end, where do they go.

    Here we are 10 months later and really has anything changed with this story.

    Celebrity Sinks She-She While Saving Apparel
    http://www.adquack.com/article117.html
11. michael gray
    Posted from: 206.254.152.1

    October 13th, 2007 at 4:55 pm

    I am an upcoming fashion designer, who is currently in rolled at IADT in SAN ANTONIO, TX. . my company is called HATER WEAR I design everything under my label along with a young lady name Ava Mccall . The death of the fashion designer. Real talk this will never happen. Society is not fooled by this , people with big money as we call them, spend money on real designers, people like myself, before I learned; spent money on items that was endorsed by basket ball ,football players, singers or movie stars, soon everyone will wake up just as I have . The fashion world will belong back to the fashion designers of yesterday; and those of us up coming designers of today. Then your article will read “ Long Live the Fashion Designers”.

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