Celebrities are often regarded as fashion trendsetters and influencers, owing to their ability and popularity to shape and sway the preferences and choices of their fans and followers.
Celebrities can influence fashion trends and brands through various mediums, such as their films, music, social media, red carpet appearances, sponsorships, and collaborations.
This is captured in a report by RedSeer Consulting which states that India’s celebrity-led fashion brands are expected to grow at a CAGR of 40% from 2020 to 2024, reaching $1.5 billion in revenue by end of 2024.
Celebrities can also launch their own fashion labels or partner with established ones to express their individuality and flair.
In this article, we will look at the history and growth of celebrity style on fashion trends and brands, as well as its future possibilities and challenges.
We will investigate how celebrities can:
- Inspire and popularize new looks and styles
- Promote and support local and global fashion brands
- Create and innovate their own fashion brands or collections
Contribute and advocate for fashion sustainability
The Evolution of Celebrity Style on Fashion
The influence of celebrity style on fashion trends and brands can be traced back to the early days of cinema and media, when actors and actresses became the icons and idols of the masses.
Some of the earliest examples of celebrities influencing fashion trends and brands are:
● Madhubala in Mughal-E-Azam
Madhubala’s stunning light blue and red embellished costume in the song Jab pyaar kiya to darna kya became a fashion staple for Indian women across ages. The costume was designed by Bhanu Athaiya, who later became the first Indian to win an Oscar for costume design for Gandhi.
● Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Audrey Hepburn’s iconic black Givenchy dress, pearl necklace, sunglasses, and gloves in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s became a symbol of elegance and sophistication for women around the world. The dress was designed by Hubert de Givenchy, who was a close friend and collaborator of Hepburn.
● Rajesh Khanna in Aradhana
Rajesh Khanna’s charming kurta-pyjama look in Aradhana became a rage among men in India, who wanted to emulate his style and charisma. The look was designed by Bhanu Athaiya, who also worked with Khanna in other films such as Anand and Amar Prem
Since then, more celebrities have influenced fashion trends and brands through their movies, music, social media, red carpet appearances, and endorsements.
For example:
● Madonna in Like a Virgin
Madonna’s controversial white lace dress, corset, gloves, crucifix necklace, and veil in her music video Like a Virgin became a sensation among young women in the 1980s, who wanted to copy her rebellious and provocative style. The dress was designed by Maripol, who was a stylist and jewelry designer for Madonna.
● Shah Rukh Khan in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Shah Rukh Khan’s cool leather jacket, jeans, sunglasses, and cap look in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge became a hit among men in India, who wanted to look like the romantic hero. The look was designed by Manish Malhotra, who was a budding fashion designer at that time.
● Jennifer Aniston in Friends
Jennifer Aniston’s simple yet chic style as Rachel Green in Friends became a trend among women in the 1990s, who wanted to emulate her hairdo, outfits, accessories, etc. The style was created by Debra McGuire, who was the costume designer for Friends.
According to Google Trends, interest in sustainable fashion has been steadily growing in the US since 2019.
This reflects the growing awareness and demand for eco-friendly and ethical fashion practices among consumers, especially the younger generations.
According to a survey by McKinsey, millennials and Gen Z accounted for an estimated 68 percent share of sustainable apparel revenue in the United States in 2022.
Celebrity Style and Fashion Brands
Celebrities can also influence fashion brands by promoting and supporting them through various channels, such as their movies, music, social media, red carpet appearances, and endorsements.
They can help fashion brands to increase their visibility, popularity, and sales, as well as to create a loyal fan base and a positive image.
Celebrities also help fashion brands to showcase their values, vision, and mission, as well as to address social or environmental issues.
Some examples of how celebrities influence fashion brands are:
● Deepika Padukone for Levi’s
Deepika Padukone is one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India, who has endorsed and collaborated with various fashion brands, such as Nike, Tanishq and All About You. One of her recent endorsements is for Levi’s, where she features in their campaign for Levi’s x Deepika Padukone Season 3 Collection. The collection takes relaxed street fashion to a whole new level, with denim jackets, jeans, shirts, and dresses that are comfortable, versatile, and stylish. The campaign also showcases Deepika Padukone’s personality and values, such as her confidence, authenticity, and positivity.
● Ranveer Singh for Adidas
Ranveer Singh is another popular and influential celebrity in India, who has endorsed and collaborated with various fashion brands, such as Jack & Jones, Durex and JBL. One of his recent endorsements is for Adidas, where he features in their campaign for Adidas x Gucci duffle bag. The bag is a limited edition collaboration between Adidas and Gucci, which combines the iconic logos and designs of both brands. The campaign also showcases Ranveer Singh’s style and charisma, as well as his passion for sports and music.
● Priyanka Chopra for Bulgari
Priyanka Chopra is a global celebrity and influencer, who has endorsed and collaborated with various fashion brands, such as Pantene, Ralph Lauren and Crocs. One of her recent endorsements is for Bulgari, where she features in their campaign for Bulgari Serpenti Forever Bag. The bag is a signature product of Bulgari, which features a snakehead clasp and a chain strap. The campaign also showcases Priyanka Chopra’s elegance and sophistication, as well as her empowerment and diversity
● Virat Kohli for Wrogn
Virat Kohli is one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India, who has created and innovated various fashion brands or collections, such as One8, Puma x Virat Kohli among others. One of his recent brands is Wrogn, which is a youth fashion brand that he co-founded with Universal Sportsbiz. Wrogn is a quirky and edgy brand that offers casual clothing, shoes, accessories, and masks that are inspired by Kohli’s style and attitude. Wrogn is also a socially responsible brand that supports various causes and initiatives, such as animal welfare and environmental protection
● Kanye West for Yeezy
Kanye West is among the most controversial and influential celebrities in the world, who has created and innovated various fashion brands or collections, such as Pastelle, Nike Air Yeezy, Adidas and Yeezy. One of his recent brands is Yeezy, which is a fashion and lifestyle brand that he founded in collaboration with Adidas. Yeezy is a futuristic and minimalist brand that offers clothing, shoes, accessories, and home products that are designed by West and his team. Yeezy is also a creative and experimental brand that uses unconventional methods and materials to produce its products.
According to a report by Influencer Marketing Hub, the global influencer marketing spend of fashion brands was estimated to be $8.5 billion in 2020, and grew to $13.8 billion in 2021.
This shows the increasing importance and effectiveness of celebrity endorsements for fashion brands, as they can reach and engage millions of potential customers through social media platforms.
Celebrity Style and Fashion Innovation
Celebrities can also influence fashion innovation by collaborating and consulting with fashion designers and stylists who can help them create and curate their own unique and distinctive styles and looks through their movies, music, social media, red carpet appearances, and endorsements.
Celebrities can benefit from the expertise and experience of fashion designers and stylists who can understand their personality, preferences, and goals, as well as the occasion, audience, and message they want to convey.
Celebrities can also inspire and challenge fashion designers and stylists to experiment and explore new ideas, concepts, and techniques that can enhance their style and impact.
Some examples of how celebrities collaborate and consult with fashion designers and stylists are:
- Janhvi Kapoor with Tanya Ghavri: Janhvi Kapoor is one of the most promising and fashionable celebrities in India, who has collaborated and consulted with Tanya Ghavri, who is a renowned celebrity stylist and fashion consultant. Tanya Ghavri has helped Janhvi Kapoor to develop and showcase her style and personality, which is a mix of elegance, glamour, and youthfulness. Tanya Ghavri has also helped Janhvi Kapoor to experiment and explore different styles and looks, such as ethnic, western, fusion, casual and formal.
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with Manish Malhotra: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is among the most successful and influential celebrities in the world, who has collaborated and consulted with Manish Malhotra, who is a legendary fashion designer and couturier. Manish Malhotra has helped Aishwarya to create and curate her style and image, which is a symbol of grace, beauty, and sophistication. Malhotra has also aided Aishwarya to innovate and reinvent her style and looks, such as by using new fabrics, colors, silhouettes, and embroideries.
Celebrity Style and Fashion Sustainability
Celebrities can also influence fashion sustainability by promoting and supporting eco-friendly and ethical fashion practices through their movies, music, social media, red carpet appearances, and endorsements.
According to a report by GlobalData, India’s vegan fashion market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.6% from 2020 to 2025, driven by the rising awareness and preference for cruelty-free and sustainable fashion products among consumers.
Celebrities can help raise awareness and educate their fans and followers about the environmental and social impact of fashion, as well as encourage them to adopt more sustainable fashion habits, such as buying less, buying better, buying secondhand and buying local.
They can also help support and collaborate with fashion brands or initiatives that are committed to sustainability, such as using organic or recycled materials, reducing waste or pollution, improving working conditions or wages.
Some examples of how celebrities influence fashion sustainability are:
- Anushka Sharma for circular fashion: Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma has inspired and popularized various styles and looks, such as the white gown, the denim jacket and the kaftan dress. One of her recent initiatives is to embrace circular fashion, which is a concept of designing, producing, and consuming fashion products in a way that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency. Anushka has announced that she will be putting her maternity clothes up for sale on a platform called SaltScout, which is a social enterprise that helps people sell or donate their pre-loved items to support various causes and charities.
- Alia Bhatt for organic clothing: Actor Alia Bhatt is one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India, who has launched her own fashion label called Ed-a-mamma, which is a children’s clothing brand that uses organic cotton and natural fabrics. The brand also follows a zero-waste policy and plants a tree for every garment sold. Alia Bhatt has said that she wants to create a brand that is conscious of the environment and the future of the children.
- Emma Watson for fair trade fashion: Actor Emma Watson is a global celebrity and activist, who has been a vocal advocate for fair trade and ethical fashion. She has been a UN Women goodwill ambassador and a supporter of the HeForShe campaign, which promotes gender equality. She has also collaborated with various fashion brands and initiatives that are aligned with her values, such as People Tree, which is a fair trade and organic clothing brand, and The Green Carpet Challenge, which is a project that promotes sustainable and ethical fashion on the red carpet.
- Leonardo DiCaprio for vegan fashion: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most successful and influential celebrities in the world, who has been a passionate environmentalist and philanthropist. He has been a UN Messenger of Peace and a founder of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which supports various environmental causes and projects. He has also invested in and endorsed various fashion brands and initiatives that are vegan and cruelty-free, such as Allbirds, which is a footwear brand that uses natural and renewable materials, and VEGEA, which is a company that produces vegan leather from grape waste.
According to a report by ThredUp, the global resale market is expected to grow from $36 billion in 2021 to $77 billion in 2025, surpassing the fast fashion market, which is projected to decline from $44 billion to $43 billion in the same period.
This shows the increasing preference and potential for sustainable fashion among consumers, especially the younger generations, who are influenced by celebrities and social media.
Conclusion
Celebrities have a significant and lasting impact on fashion trends and brands, as they can inspire, promote, create, and contribute to the industry through their style and influence.
Celebrities can also help shape the future of fashion by embracing and advocating for innovation and sustainability, as well as by collaborating and consulting with fashion designers and stylists.
Celebrities can also benefit from the fashion industry by expressing their individuality and creativity, as well as by generating revenue and recognition.
Therefore, the relationship between celebrities and fashion is a mutually beneficial and dynamic one, that is likely to continue and evolve in the years to come.