Thursday, September 20, 2007

Where do I sign up?

It is commonplace to have the front rows at the fashion shows dotted with celebrities. The bigger the names and the larger the number that pack a show, add to the glitz and publicity.


"Given that the front row is what everyone sees, you are going to want celebrities there representing your brand, wearing your clothes and getting their picture taken. You can imagine how important it is," stated Lori Levine, founder of Flying Television.

It's also an open secret that a majority of those "A" listers are not there just to watch the new fashion designs strut down the runway. What I hadn't known, was the incentives they receive for agreeing to take that front row seat. I had expected the normal gifts and a few bits of clothing but it seems, some celebrities get first pick on their favorites before they hit retail or free run of the store as a think you for gracing the front row for a designer.

Some of those gifts are quite expensive......according to an Armani representative, Katie Holmes isn't paid to sit front row at her husband's favorite designer's shows. She did though, receive her wedding dress, reportedly valued at $2 million, as a gift from Armani.

More and more designers and stars are getting into the "celbrity clothes horse" show it seems. Some feel that the designers have become more open about competing for consumer dollars and if a star sells their brand, all the better, while some stars are enjoying the perks that come with it more.

While it is more of an open secret that many of the celebrities in the front row aren't their just for the view, designers are still less open about how much they may have paid the star to be there. Yes, paid, as in this could be a great job opportunity and add some quick cash to the bank account. How much they are paid is still secret but estimates run from $50,000 for Katie Holmes to sit front row, $40,000 for Nicole Kidman and $25,00 for Mischa Barton to grace the front row seats.

Heck, at that kind of money, I would quit my day job and look absolutely, totally interested in the fashions strutting by me on the runway.

H/T to Kia

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