Fashion Forward Blog: Celebrities Should Stick To Their Day Jobs

BY EMILY PERL

Would you want to own a pair of Snookie slippers? Read a book by Lauren Conrad? How about buy something from Kanye West’s new summer clothing collection? Celebrities are always trying to out-do one another and stay ahead of the game. As if being rich and famous weren’t already enough, celebrities now feel the need to create their own lines of purses, clothing, shoes, and accessories in an attempt to branch out and make a few extra dollars. However, just because they have the power to create their own brand, doesn’t necessarily mean the products are good.

It seems like anyone will try anything to make money these days, and this even includes celebrities. Some celebrities think that just because they have the money and fame that they can create anything they want and it will be successful. Some celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Heidi Montag have tried to create their own clothing lines, but failed miserably. Parker’s line, Bitten, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Montag’s creations only stayed on the shelves a few months.

These are just two of the many failed attempts of lines created by celebrities.

Lauren Conrad had a short-lived clothing line as well as a blogging website and a book series. Critics deemed her clothing line too much like Juicy Couture and said that it had no personality. Her book received a similar response as well. According the Entertainment Weekly writer Lisa Schwarzbaum, Conrad’s novel was “a dismal portent of the future of pop culture, disguised as escapist fiction aimed at young-adult LC fans who might like a book-shaped object as a keepsake now that Conrad has left her popular show.”

Not only have female celebrities been involved in this trend of creating their own line of clothing or books, but male celebrities have begun to do the same. Kanye West tried his hand at creating a clothing line for Spring 2012. Unfortunately for him, no one had mentioned that spring is a time for bright colors and floral patterns, not leather and black. The whole collection screamed haute runway couture and lacked personal style.

While there have been many failed celebrity design attempts, some celebrities have talent and are able to showcase it. Jessica Simpson has created an amazing shoe line that is reasonably priced and stylish. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have created two upscale lines, Elizabeth & James and The Row, both of which can be found in upscale department stores such as Barneys New York.

Finding good celebrity lines are far and few between, but the bad ones stick out like B-list stars.