Search
Home

By Laura Honan

The concepts of fashion and celebrities have long been related to one another. The power of celebrity status has been influencing and creating trends for decades. Take for example the popularisation of the white wedding dress worn by Queen Victoria – when worn in 1840 the gown was a symbol of wealth due to the cost of the fabric. Now in western culture it is seen as typical attire for a bride. The Middle Ages highlighted how fashion can set those of a wealthy background and a noble class apart from those who were not. Nobles wore garments with rich colours such as purple to show their elevated status in society. Kings and Queens wore expensively dyed cloth with elaborate patterns. Today, this idea is still played out but in a different way.

The ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic still showing that the way you look is a status symbol. During the 1960’s and 1970’s in the United States, dressing as a ‘hippie’ showed that you were against the Vietnam War. Wearing clothing today such as merch is telling the world that you identify with and belong to a group of people who support a certain artist/ band. Adidas Gazelles have been nicknamed ‘Satellite Stompers’ by Harry Styes fans after he wore them during his Love On Tour, with some people on social media platforms such as TikTok dubbing them as discrete/quiet merch. On the Adidas website they are named Satellite Stompers. Bella Hadid has been dubbed the fashion It Girl with thousands of people trying to create her Pinterest worthy ‘model – off duty’ aesthetic. She has been credited with many of the trends seen on TikTok and Pinterest with names such as ‘Office Siren’, the ‘no pants trend’ and ‘varsity chic’.

Fashion is a way of expressing ourselves. While we may not always be aware of the facts, each day our clothes show the world something about ourselves. Vertical stripes can be worn to make yourself look taller and horizontal stripes for the opposite effect. Clothes which are perceived as more modest may be worn for religious and cultural reasons. Skirts and dresses may be worn as one way to express femininity. We see this clearly with celebrities, especially when it comes to red carpet looks. The 2025 Golden Globes saw Zendaya wear a custom Luis Vuitton dress which paid homage to designer Zelda Wynn Valdes, the first woman of colour to own a shop on Broadway in Manhattan. She designed the first Playboy Bunny costume and is responsible for styling figures such as Eartha Kitt.

The relationship between fashion and celebrities is seen in the way in which celebrities are paid to endorse brands and clothing. Celebrities become a type of ‘walking billboard’. It is extremely common to see both celebrities and influencers working with fashion brands both luxury and fast fashion. From brands such as Pretty Little Thing and BooHoo working with influencers in exchange for discount codes, and luxury and designer brands like Chanel and Luis Vuitton sponsoring celebrities and influencers for fashion week. YouTuber Emma Chamberlain has been an ambassador for Luis Vuitton since 2019 and has regularly attended Paris Fashion Week with the brand.

It is not uncommon for some to get involved in the fashion industry themselves. Think of Victoria Beckham who started her brand Victoria Beckham in 2008. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen who launched their two brands The Row and Elizabeth and James. Gwenyth Paltro added Gloop Label to her skincare brand Gloop. Aside from launching their own companies, other influencers have worked alongside brands and have become active within the roles of the company. After years of working with the brand as an ambassador in 2021, Molly-Mae became the Creative Director of Pretty Little Thing.

It is clear that celebrities have had a major influence on fashion right from the beginning. From social media to the runway, celebrities and influencers will continue to popularise and create new trends. The fashion industry is dependent upon the endorsement of celebrities and influencers and this dependency is only set to increase.

Comments

comments

Privacy Policy