25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Kim Kardashian reps Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana, Beyoncé sings in Tiffany jewels, Rosé carries Saint Laurent luggage and Timothée Chalamet wears Chanel scents – but is the age of endorsements endin
When was the first time you were sold something by a celebrity? Not literally, but you get the gist: think red lipsticks swiped on in slow-motion video; high-production perfume ads set against azure waters and rugged Italian coastlines; food supplements endorsed by lithe household names (many of whom are probably taking more than just vitamins to preserve their youthful looks).
In today's fashion landscape, starry ambassadors giving endorsements are so ubiquitous, it can be hard to keep track of who's wearing what and where. It's been going on for a while too: according to the World Advertising Research Centre, the first celebrity in the modern sense to endorse a commercial product was the socialite and West End stage actress Lillie Langtry, whose likeness was plastered on posters in 1882 to sell Pears Soap.
Before that, England's Royal Warrants bestowed on trusted suppliers a literal monarchic stamp of approval for centuries. To this day, you'll find the phrase 'By appointment to …' trumpeted by businesses ranging from Smythson to Burberry to Fortnum & Mason.
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Balenciaga's 2024 Closet campaign starring Kim Kardashian. Photo: Handout
In today's media landscape, reaching peak influencer often means being an A-list brand ambassador. Alongside her various entrepreneurial pursuits, Kim Kardashian reps Balenciaga, as well as Dolce & Gabbana;
Beyoncé tours in and posts Tiffany & Co.; Rosé travels exclusively with Saint Laurent bags and Rimowa suitcases in tow; and Timothée Chalamet smells like Bleu de Chanel – or at least that's what we're led to believe in Martin Scorsese's promotional film for the scent.
Even the more aloof fashion brands aren't immune to star power. Witness The Row, which in 2021 was tagged in Instagram carousels by actors Zoë Kravitz and Jonah Hill, who were both clad in the label's opulent looks, not long after Kendall Jenner was seen on several occasions donning full The Row runway ensembles. The label, helmed by former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and famous for banning phones at its runway shows, has since dressed the likes of Greta Lee, Jennifer Lawrence and
Ariana Grande for red carpet appearances.
Greta Lee wears The Row to the Lacma Art+Film Gala in November 2024. Photo: AFP
Indeed, in this day and age, it's a struggle listing luxury brands that don't dabble in celebrity marketing in one way or another. Designers Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens, both known for not loaning looks to celebrities or paying for A-listers to wear their designs, are two holdouts.
French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels is a rare exception within its category due to its policy of not dressing celebrities for red carpets – a page on the brand's website entitled 'Icons of Van Cleef & Arpels' lists only four women, including Princess Grace of Monaco and opera star Maria Callas, all of them dead for decades.
Then there's ever-elusive monogrammed bag-maker Goyard (the consensus is the company does little to no advertising at all) and fellow leather goods maison Hermès, which made a rare departure from its consistent celeb-averse strategy by dressing Nomadland director Chloé Zhao for the 2021 Academy Awards.
Chloé Zhao wears Hermès as she poses with one of her Oscars for Nomadland (2020). Photo: Ampas/PA Media/dpa
Clearly brands don't need celebrities to be successful, but in a world littered with influencers and infinitely scrollable feeds, expensive celebrity tie-ups are key to a fashion brand's ability to be visible and stay that way as the trends, and the years, come and go. This is especially true in Asian markets, where Thai heartthrobs and Korean girl groups are relatively direct, albeit transient, short cuts through which businesses can reach young, and particularly female, target audiences.
