These days, you're more likely to see an actress than a model on the cover of a fashion magazine. Of course, there are the big guns who've made a name for themselves outside the industry - the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss, for example - but, for the most part, celebrities have supplanted models as the darlings of fashion.
Experts say the rise of the celebrity is mainly due to the growing importance of red carpet events, which have changed from small-scale shows to high-profile productions broadcast world- wide via the internet and TV and splashed across newspapers and magazines. The red carpet has become the world's most alluring advertising ground.
The way it works is simple. Consumers see celebrities on the red carpet and want to copy their glamorous lives. Unfortunately, the average Jane on the street can't afford a US$10 million home or a luxury jet, but for US$1,000 they can have a taste of it by buying a brand they've seen on the red carpet - be it a dress, handbag or shoes. In that way, the brand gets exposure and hopefully increased sales.
'Brands want to position their clothing, jewellery and accessories with beautiful celebrities,' says Dev Suj of Brandista, a consulting firm focusing on the luxury sector. 'The people who become consumers buy because they're inspired.'
A spokesperson for luxury brand Celine says that celebrities raise awareness of brands by wearing designer labels - and can also boost their status as being fashionable. 'They set trends and it's a mutually beneficial relationship.'
Why has the recent trend favoured celebrities over models? According to experts, it boils down to personality. Unlike models, who are often unknown outside of fashion circles, celebrities already have a public image, giving them a degree of intimacy with the public that models don't have.
