It may seem as though anything a celebrity touches turns to gold. While it may not always be the case with their movies or songs, it is surely the case when it comes to fashion. Khevna Pandit & Pearl Mathias tell you about their favourite celebrity brands
Celebrities are known to don designer labels, adding value to the outfits. But, for the longest time now, starlets have taken matters into their own hands (quite literally) and have come up with clothing lines, either for mass production or as limited edition collections. Whichever it is, patrons aren’t deterred from flocking to stores to get a hold of these labels from their favourite celebrities. In addition to footwear, accessories and even alcohol, clothing lines have gained immense popularity in recent years. What comes to mind is Kanye West and Jessica Simpson making tabloid headlines time and again for their bold creations. So, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourites from across the globe and some closer to home that we simply adore.
Victoria Beckham by Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham marked her debut as a model with a guest appearance on the catwalk for Maria Grachvogel at London Fashion Week in 2000. A few years later, she designed a limited-edition fashion line for Rock & Republic called VB Rocks, which consisted mainly of high-end jeans. Then in 2008, she launched her eponymous label, and by 2011, it was a fixture at the New York Fashion Week. Soon after, she launched a lower-price label, Victoria Beckham, following which the brand introduced separate denim, eyewear and fragrance lines. While the designer admitted to The Business of Fashion that she had been a big laughing stock for a while, she knew that she was laying the foundation for what she has in place now.
William Rast by Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake always has a lot on his plate. But, whether he’s lending his voice to another animated film, working in the studio or just being his charming self, he has never shied away from adding another challenge to his list. He co-founded his clothing label William Rast with long-time friend Trace Ayala in 2005 in Los Angeles. If you’re wondering about the name, it combines Timberlake’s grandfather’s first name and Ayala’s grandfather’s last name, and draws inspiration from Memphis, the town where the two grew up. With an edgy yet tailored collection of premium denim, ready-to-wear footwear and accessories for men and women, the brand is grounded in American denim heritage. While we’re on this, it’s also fascinating that Justin also has his own brand of tequila, Sauza Tequila, but we’ll save that for another day.
THE ROW by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Former child actresses, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are now America’s sweet designers. Named after Savile Row in London, their couture fashion label, The Row, was launched in 2006. Reflecting a sense of relaxed and timeless elegance, the brand has expanded to include a range of ready-to-wear eyewear, handbags and footwear. Inspired by many of their unique vintage finds and pieces in their personal wardrobes, the twins went on to launch Elizabeth & James, a contemporary collection in 2007. Since then, they’ve released a clothing line for women called Olsenboye and a T-shirt line called StyleMint. In 2014, they were awarded the title of CFDA Accessory Designers of the Year for their work with The Row. We can’t wait to get a hold of their chic albeit high-end apparel.
Being Human by Salman Khan
We don’t need an introduction to the iconic Being Human line of garments by Salman Khan. Launched in 2007, this line works hand in hand with the Being Human Foundation, a Mumbai-based charity that works in education and healthcare for the underprivileged in India. The summer, outdoorsy line now boasts of trendy T-shirts, bottoms and hip bags in vibrant shades for all ages. After being in the news for quite some time, the brand also bagged attention when it was voted the most exciting apparel brand in the Most Exciting Brand Study conducted by Nielson in 2015.
All About You by Deepika Padukone
Our favourite Bollywood actress brought in waves of excitement when she launched her private label, All About You, for women on Myntra in 2015. The brand is designed in collaboration with a French design agency and it features a collection of special fabrics including hammered satin, viscose and jacquards, lurex knits, blended knits, woollens and premium denims. The theme behind this collection is one that empowers women with the tagline, “You are your biggest strength and you can conquer anything when you are with you”. It celebrates a woman’s personal strength by taking on the daily challenges faced in her personal and professional life. The brand reflects its confident, feminine strength in its bold colours and patterns. We’re completely on board with you, Deepika!
Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne
In 2008, Avril Lavigne founded Abbey Dawn and christened it after a nickname that her father originally gave her. The punk rock star’s trademark fashion is something we’ve been fond of since our teenage days, and Abbey Dawn takes inspiration from her own closet from back in the day. The label hosted its first fashion show at the New York Fashion Week in September 2009 and it featured models sporting funky and metallic-print T-shirts, over-sized hoodies, striped skater tees, tutus and plaid mini-skirts, all of which are in tune with Avril’s old hits. It now features a considerably large collection of accessories as well. Well, we certainly couldn’t be happier to see our teenage dream come to life!