Talent, fortune, fame, style…some people seem to have it all. Some only have one or two of the above but they still have something that most of us don’t – the opportunity to slap their name on something and profit from it.
One way of doing this is via endorsement deals, like when you see Sofia Vergara’s face on, well, everything: Cover Girl, Pepsi, Head & Shoulders, and a clothing line at Kmart of all places (Vergara always looks so chic and polished on the red carpet that it’s hard to understand why she didn’t go for a more upscale department store line). As it stands now, she joins the likes of Nicki Minaj, whose Kmart line reflects her loud, playful style but in even cheaper, gaudier materials.
These are just two examples of how celebrity collaborations are almost always a disappointment. So I say why even bother?
As in Vergara’s case, sometimes it’s a mismatch between retailer and celebrity. When Drew Barrymore’s cosmetics line Flower rolled out a couple of years ago, it sounded perfect for the actress who once wore daisies in her hair. The products are made in the USA, not tested on animals and the prices are affordable. But, they are sold exclusively at Walmart, so there’s that.
Courtney Love recently debuted a line of clothing with NastyGal, banking on the recent 90s nostalgia in fashion to spark an interest in the former Girl With the Most Cake. But with high prices and almost no range of sizes, the line fell flat. You’d be better off scouring your local thrift store, as Love herself did back when she popularized the kinderwhore look.
Actress Rebel Wilson had a line of plus size clothing with Torrid, which really made me scratch my head. Is Rebel Wilson more well known for her sense of style or her sense of humor? When I see her in my mind’s eye, she is wearing a track suit or something equally comfy/costume-y. Fittingly, her stuff went on clearance almost immediately.
Gwen Stefani’s makeup collaboration with always edgy and coveted brand Urban Decay makes more sense. Except, the first product they released was a milquetoast eyeshadow palette. Where are the vibrant colors? I don’t think of a nude eye when I think of Gwen. I think of powerful red lip. And while they did ultimately release a set of lipsticks as well, reviews indicate that the quality and color payoff are “meh” at best.
Maybe all these talented people should just stick to what they do best, or at least refrain from putting their names on subpar products.