Poll: Is It Bad Business To Ask Celebrities To Stop Wearing Your Clothes?

If you’re an up and coming designer, the best way to get name recognition is to have a celebrity wear your clothing. All it takes is a few photos of an actor, pop star or model in your designer duds for interest to be piqued and for sales to increase. Whether the designer is a staple who has long been established in the fashion world or brand new to the scene, famous bodies in branded clothing means money – and celebrities know this.

Just last month, Beyoncé, stepped outside the world of well known designers who have become household names to showcase the talents of indie designers who have just barely entered the industry. For the photos in her new album, 4, Beyoncé chose to wear a one of a kind piece by Parsons graduate, Lleah Rae – not a bad deal for the new grad. Celebrities helping to either build or revive designer names is nothing new, and most of the time they’ll even do it for free, if they truly love the piece.

However, what happens when celebrities, or rather “D List” reality stars who think they’re celebrities, wear your clothing against your will? Do you stand outside their house picketing in the hopes they’ll get the message, or do you reach deep in your pockets and offer what you know they want anyway: money? Well that’s what’s happening with Abercrombie & Fitch in their hopes of paying off the cast of Jersey Shore to stop wearing their clothes.

The Ohio-based company is offering a “substantial payment” to Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino if he would choose “to wear an alternate brand.” According to the released statement:

“We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans.”

This isn’t the first time that a brand has tried to distance itself from a certain famous group of people that it doesn’t care for. In 2006, Cristal wasn’t too keen on the fact that the hip-hop community was dropping their name in songs, and indulging in the bubbly. The managing director, Frederic Rouzaud, of Louis Roederer, the company that produces the product was quoted as saying in The Economist regarding the association of their beverage with the “bling lifestyle”:  “We can’t forbid people from buying it. I’m sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business.” This resulted in Jay-Z launching a boycott of the product deeming Rouzaud’s comments as “racist.”

No word yet on whether or not The Situation will be accepting any money to cease wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, but one can’t help but wonder: is this bad for business? The last time I walked past an A&F, the clientele looked pretty similar to those who probably think Jersey Shore should be nominated for an Emmy, so maybe it’s all some sort of marketing ploy? Or maybe everyone is just over the cast of Jersey Shore. I mean, how many seasons of drunken buffoons fist pumping in the air can the public watch? Seriously.

What do you think?

Photo: Getty