"It's Nina Ricci... Again."

Aug 06, 2007 @ 2:43pm

the many faces of reese.jpg
The red carpet tends to be a win-win situation for designers and celebrities. Stars get photographed in amazing clothes, and designers get priceless publicity.

And of course, celebrities have their favorite designers - based on the fit, the style, or the friendship. But can we add "for profit" to the list?

We've started to wonder about long term celebrity/designer pairings, like:

Reese Witherspoon & Nina Ricci

Renee Zellweger & Carolina Herrera

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Balenciaga

Emma Watson and Chanel

Perhaps we're witnessing the logical conclusion of a mutually beneficial relationship:

Permanent product placement on a hot celebrity commodity. But how much do we think the stars get paid to serve as walking billboards?

--ALLIE MERRIAM

posted by brendastarlet

Aug 06, 2007 2:59PM

Free clothes, at a minimum, and probably a high five-to-six figure retainer, don't you think?

posted by janelle

Aug 06, 2007 3:15PM

i think of as if the celebrities are continuing in the tradition of audrey/givenchy or other socialites or actors that are devoted to specific designers.

posted by mckeb753

Aug 06, 2007 3:22PM

chanel is more likely to turn down people who want to wear their clothes, not pay them...

posted by Bonnie Lass

Aug 06, 2007 3:34PM

It may be tradition, but it's growing awfully stale. The red carpet has grown so boring. The only people willing to push the envelope are the up-and-comers, and even then, once they appear on a worst dressed list, they quickly find themselves in vintage couture, Armani Prive, Vera Wang (God bless her), etc.

And it's not even like they're trying to outdo each other. They all show up in similar gowns and seem to be aiming for 'pretty enough.'

posted by guest

Aug 06, 2007 3:55PM

chanel didn't turn down linds lohan, or paris, or the innumberable undesireable celebs that wear their clothing.

with reese and nina ricci, i don't care, because i think it's a pretty perfect collabo. renee just looks boring, uninspired, been-there-done-that. so i hope she's making bank.

posted by Miss Jeffrey

Aug 06, 2007 3:55PM

I have to agree with most of the posts. I highly doubt if any of the celebrities mentioned actually get clothes for 'free.' Renee gladly pays for her vintage an current Carolina pieces.

The celebrities mentioned in this post have their own style with or without help of a stylist (especially Renee, Reese & Charlotte) so it's a definite win for the designer working with these celebrities!

And unless I'm mistaken, Renee has worn Olivier's designs from his own label & while he was at Rochas. Can u confirm this Faran?!?

posted by kelly

Aug 06, 2007 4:02PM

I've read in several magazine profiles that Charlotte & Ghesquiere are very close friends, so that might explain that particular pairing.

posted by Faran

Aug 06, 2007 4:02PM

None of these celebrities pay for their red carpet gowns! Reese bought her Chanel dress for the Golden Globes off the rack, but that was a special case (and ill advised, since she ended up with the same dress as Kirsten Dunst!)

posted by Miss Jeffrey

Aug 06, 2007 4:21PM

But don't all the designers (and some fashion creatives) LOVE Charlotte?!?

posted by Laia

Aug 06, 2007 4:39PM

I didn't think they got paid... i figured at most they got to keep the dress.

posted by Lisa

Aug 06, 2007 4:41PM

There was an article in USA Today during Oscar season where Kelly Cutrone and some other publicists said they'd seen money change hands over dresses. It's definitely happening.

posted by Laia

Aug 06, 2007 5:52PM

I dont think Reese wore Olivier's stuff from when he had his own label (too goth?), but Madonna used to all the time. That last Vogue cover that she had she said she recommended Olivier for Nina Ricci or something, I thought it was weird, but I guess she's liked his work since he was in Rochas or whatever. I love him so so so so much.

and yeah Charlotte and Nicholas are friends, so I think its a different case (same as how Kim Gordon, Wynona Ryder, Sofia Coppola and Courtney Love wear a lot of Marc)

posted by PL

Aug 06, 2007 5:55PM

big celebs definitely do not pay for clothes they wear to red carpet events. depending on how big a star they are, the designers are either courting them to wear their clothes or vice versa. Designers do often decline to lend clothes to celebs they do not feel appropriately represent the image they want to project or that will not get enough press coverage (or are just horrible to work with, ie the piece in last weeks Post about how Louis Vuitton will no longer lend to Lindsay Lohan since she never returns anything to them). A lot of the celebs that are constantly wearing the same designer to events are either under contract with them, good friends with the designer, or are in the running to appear in ads for the designer..

posted by simon

Aug 06, 2007 11:03PM

It's not always beneficial for the designer. Remember Jessica Simpson's turnout at the Costume Institute? A beautiful dress turned into a hooker outfit, I would sue if she wore anything I designed.

posted by Annmarie

Aug 07, 2007 2:26AM