Welcome to the 190th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we explore fashion’s connection to fame, debating the industry’s rooted history with celebrities and their impact on personal style.
Celebrities and fashion are about as synonymous as needles and thread. Predating the runway’s essence, designers have been selling and working alongside the socially elite since style's inception. Used as a means of presentation, for decades noteworthy people have played a critical role in the culture that backs fashion’s consumeristic habits and fast-paced tempo. Ultimately leveraged to manipulate trends among the general public, at its core, the relationship attempts (and often succeeds) in altering the sole consumer’s taste.
While rather unspoken, this parallel is not only common but shockingly effective on a widespread scale. In using a creative muse to push eyes toward a label, designers can remove themselves from traditional marketing techniques and become synonymous with the celebrity’s consumer basis and brand ethos. Sending over products in hopes of placement can easily yield thousands in revenue, making it a necessity in the modern day.
To illustrate just how powerful these marketing tools can be, we’ll take a look at the now infamous Hermes ‘Kelly’ bag. Originally known as the ‘Sac à dépêches bag’, Princess Grace Kelly was seen so frequently alongside the accessory that it would prompt a name change in the public eye. While different, the Air Jordan line, or perhaps even Kanye West’s ‘Yeezy’ share similar attributes in consumer habits and trendsetting, pushing consumers to adopt their stylistic ideologies.
It’s undeniable celebrities retain a massive amount of influence on the mainstream. As artists like Playboi Carti create an onslaught of Ramone and Geobasket soldiers, it makes us question their interest's authenticity. However, that doesn’t mean these individuals are killing personal style, they’re merely influencing it, aiding those who may not have a sense of self yet to refine and expand their taste.
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