Hijacking the Runway: How Celebrities Are Stealing the Spotlight from Fashion Designers

by Teri Agins

A fascinating chronicle of how celebrity has inundated the world of fashion, realigning the forces that drive both the styles we covet and the bottom lines of the biggest names in luxury apparel.
 
From Coco Chanel’s iconic tweed suits to the miniskirt’s surprising comeback in the late 1980s, fashion houses reigned for decades as the arbiters of style and dictators of trends. Hollywood stars have always furthered fashion’s cause of seducing the masses into buying designers’ clothes, acting as living billboards. Now, forced by the explosion of social media and the accelerating worship of fame, red carpet celebrities are no longer content to just advertise and are putting their names on labels that reflect the image they—or their stylists—created.
 
Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sean Combs, and a host of pop, sports, and reality-show stars of the moment are leveraging the power of their celebrity to become the face of their own fashion brands, embracing lucrative contracts that keep their images on our screens and their hands on the wheel of a multi-billion dollar industry. And a few celebrities—like the Olsen Twins and Victoria Beckham—have gone all the way and reinvented themselves as bonafide designers. Not all celebrities succeed, but in an ever more crowded and clamorous marketplace, it’s increasingly unlikely that any fashion brand will succeed without celebrity involvement—even if designers, like Michael Kors, have to become celebrities themselves.
 
Agins charts this strange new terrain with wit and insight and an insider’s access to the fascinating struggles of the bold-type names and their jealousies, insecurities, and triumphs. Everyone from industry insiders to fans of  Project Runway  and  America's Next Top Model  will want to read Agins’s take on the glitter and stardust transforming the fashion industry, and where it is likely to take us next.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Pop Culture

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2014

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read overall, but completely worth it for Ralph Rucci's version of Kanye's first fashion collection.

[Latarsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for something fun and out of my genre and I found it in spades with this book. Hijacking the Runway is all about the impact celebrities are having on the fashion industry and the design community. The author, Teri Agins, writes about the fashion industry for the Wall Street Journal and has a front-row seat to the changing dynamics within fashion. Agins is a great writer. She writes with snap, she clearly has a quick wit and she has all sorts of great details and information from her perch within fashion.

I particularly liked the way this book is structured, starting off with some historical context between fashion houses and famous people, namely the wives and lovers of kings and other aristocrats and that soon trickles down to the famous people we know and love: celebrities and socialites. Each chapter focuses on a different celebrity like Jessica Simpson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, etc. while other chapters zero in on people like the Olsen twins and Victoria Beckham, people who were entertainers and have worked hard to move away from their Hollywood roots in order to be seen as legitimate designers and/or creative directors. Real-deal designers like Tommy Hilfiger (who I have a WHOLE new appreciation for) and Michael Kors get their own chapter. Regarding MK, I had no idea he did the clothes for Rene Russo's character in the Thomas Crown Affair, one of my favorite movies. Meanwhile people like John Varvatos and Tom Ford get healthy mentions.

But let's be for real. The action is in reading about the hot messes and that crown is shared three ways with the Kardashians, Lindsay Lohan and Kanye West. To say that the Kanye section is the best part of the book is an understatement.

The book also explores celebrities pitching fragrances, another billion dollar + industry and we have none other than Ms. Elizabeth Taylor to thank for that revolution. According to this book, Liz was as close to broke as famous person can get but her deal for White Diamonds and Passions not only saved her but kept her financially solvent until she died.

I loved this book and am so glad I read it. I had no idea how many celebrities, think someone like Sean Combs, that have the money to bankroll their interest in fashion, come out with a collection or two and then move on something else that sparks their attention, meanwhile serious designers with a real point of view are scraping along. Teri also explores the crossroads between design chops and self-promoting pitchmen, which is what many designers need to be in order to be seen and heard in a pretty crowded field.

In all, I came away with a whole new respect for Jessica Simpson and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen while my opinion of Kanye was, shall we say, solidified. A fun read, breathlessly written, well-researched and sourced, I would recommend it to anyone.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve picked this book up so many times over the years to try and finish it and it wasn’t until this week that I did. And it was almost painful to finish.

Things I liked, she does have witty subsection titles (like “The K.K.K. Clan”). I also enjoyed the part of Kanye’s failed runway attempt, and lastly I was reading about Sean Combs while the news broke about his home being raided. And that’s a once in a lifetime event right there.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating and thought provoking look at how the cult of celebrity has caused monumental shifts in how fashion is designed, marketed, and sold over the last few decades. Gone are the days when fashion designers - those select few who paid their dues through years of toiling in anonymity - dictated what is fashionable. With the advent of Dress-Down Nation in the 1990s and the rise of fast fashion - cheap knockoffs of designer clothing made by mass manufacturers - looking good has become much more attainable for those on a limited budget and the need for expensive designer duds has shrank considerably. People are no longer biting what’s being fed to them by the fashion designers. This change in public attitude has forced design houses to shift their focus from clothing, which had been the bread and butter of the industry, to accessories, which has now become the gateway to standing out fashionably, when so many clothes all look the same.

With the rise of social media fueling the public’s fascination with celebrities, fashion houses and retailers have resorted to using celebrities to promote and sell their goods. What started out with using a celebrity’s face to sell fashion has now shifted to celebrities collaborating with designers to create their own product lines. It is no longer so much about buying a product for its intrinsic value as it is about owning a piece of a particular celebrity, whether or not the celebrity did the actual work of creating the product.

While this paradigm shift in how fashion is marketed and consumed has, not surprisingly, caused resentment in the fashion community towards celebrity designers, many designers have learned to compete by becoming celebrities in their own right.

Agins does a great job in presenting the story of fashion’s celebrity obsession, in a clear and easy-to-follow format, tracing it from the 19th century until today. My only quibble with her account is her failure to mention the negative impact of disposable (celebrity) fashion on the environment, which is a real cause for concern.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprising book. I'm interested in marketing, so the celebrity/fashion connection always grabs my attention. But I thought this book would be much more superficial that it is, quite the opposite. It is very detailed and really gives an insider perspective of how things work, why it happens that way and how opinions differ between major players in the fashion business. There's also a lot of historical context which I appreciated.
This is much more than just about how celebs are gaining power over traditional fashion people, this book also shows how consumers shape economy and how they are manipulated. This was almost like a sociological picture of consumerism.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books gives you the scoop on the celebrities who are fashion designers, designers who are celebrities, and, mostly, celebrities who want you to think they are designers. If you are interested in fashion, celebrities, or merchandising, this book is a must-read.

[Leslie Zampetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining examination of the trend of the celebrity designer and the influence of celebrities on fashion.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject is fascinating, but Agins's non-neutral writing made it difficult to enjoy the book.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is all about how the fashion industry has changed over the past 40 years with a flashback to Old Hollywood and the beginnings of personal fashion collections and shows. That was the time of Chanel, Schiaparelli, Lytton, Adrian, Lacoste and Givenchy.

There was Michael Jordan not only for the Air Jordans but the baggy shorts that are part of the current basketball uniform. Then comes the numerous celebrity sponsored fragrances and attempts at fashion collections by celebrities mentored by noted designers.

It seems that the gap between celebrity and fashion has only gotten smaller - each celebrity feels the need to create either a fragrance or a clothing collection of some flavor during their career no matter how 'good' or mediocre. Even some designers have realized that media attention - via television shows or corporate sponsors - can only help their positions and name recognition which in turn, assists their bottom line.

The entire book ends with two appendix - one listing the celebrity collections and the second being a listing of the fragrances. Surprisingly, the one with the most fragrances - as of 2013 - was David Beckham with 19.

It was an interesting read. Published in 2014, I'd be curious to see how she would possibly update her book, commenting on the changes in the past 5 years.

2019-191

[Antonia Maurici · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is extremely fascinating. If you like fashion, and want to know more about the celebrity designer, read this! The author provides you with information on business reason behind the current use of celebrities, along with examples of the failures and successes of the phenomenon.

Ms. Agins has years of experience as a fashion business writer, and knows how to write sophisticated text so that those who are not in the business understand what is going on.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the one that started it all for me, so it will always have a special place in my heart - it lead to a much lengthier list of books I have since read on fashion.

Hijacking the Runway does a beautiful job of explaining how celebrity designers are not doing the industry any favors. It introduced a whole new world of careers in fashion that aren't just magazine editor, designer, and model.

[DeBora Rachelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read Agins other book, The End of Fashion and really enjoyed it. This book however, never even got off the ground. Agins kept repeating the same thing over and over, celebrities are taking over the fashion world. I’m sure what she pointed out is what everyone can see for themselves in real life. Agins also seems very bitter, perhaps very envious of those who’ve accomplished more than she has with little effort because of their status. There is a lot of negativity in this book.

[Ritu Thakkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having no prior knowledge of the fashion industry, I personally found the content novel and having sufficient depth. However, the sequencing of the content has no rhyme or reason and is accompanied by very poor segues. The author fails to establish a common theme/connects across different chapters, which makes the experience quite disengaging. If you are like me, and looking for a book to be introduced to the fashion world, would recommend to pick some other book for a rounded experience.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hijacking the Runway" reads like a magazine written entirely as short essays. Not only is that what I've been craving since I was a fashion-curious tween, Agins clearly had a blast writing it! It would be nice to have an updated edition or follow-up reflecting how much has changed (or not) for celebrities and social media since publication.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very interested in reading this book, but had a hard time getting through it. The book is generally organized chronologically, but there wasn't much flow to it beyond the passage of time. All in all, a bit of a slog to finish.

[Amanda Alexandre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing is a little dry when translated to Portuguese.

It doesn't mention the recent instamodels fame nor the transformation to a more street-centred style that begun with Vetements years ago. Surprising for a book released in 2018.

[Thảo Nguyên · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned very much from this book ❤️

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This focused more on fragrances than style and fashion itself; still interesting however.

[Lilly Hardin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fashion industry is a changin’

[Mia Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that allows you to understand the lives of celebrities and why and where they got their start. I wouldn’t say it’s a must read but it’s something to tame your curiosity for the time being.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, discussing how celebrity has been taking over fashion. The author also suggests that social media is making it easier for many new, trained designers to go out on their own, rather than the usual method of serving an "apprenticeship" at a known design house.

I have long suspected that most celebrity brands are banking on the name of the celebrity only, without actual knowledge, expertise, or even involvement on their part, and Agins points out that this is largely the case. Though some celebrities were actively involved in creating fragrances, few are involved once things launch, and even fewer understand or have background in the garment business.

Using actual examples, from Jessica Simpson, all the way to Donald Trump, we learn how these "designer" lines come into existence, and why. I found it to be incredibly interesting, and in some ways sad (the Kardashian/Sears example) how so many people become personally attached to these brands, some of which are affordable to the everyday person, others that like to remain at a higher tier of pricing. I never thought that I would be impressed by Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen, but I have to say that their efforts with their designs showed them to be actually interested, very involved, and eager to learn the "language" of haute couture and design.

It was also interesting to read Agin's points about fast fashion from places like Zara and H&M.

Though I will never be able to afford haute couture, and don't even like a lot of it anyway, I do prefer the world where people designing clothes are doing it because it is what they love, and what they have been trained to do.

This book was a good read.

[Bekah Hubstenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw that fashion journalist Teri Agins, author of The End of Fashion, had written a new book I was excited to read it. I have always been a devoted follower of fashion but Agins first book, The End of Fashion, made me realize I could come at fashion with a slightly more academic approach, something that appealed to my intellectual side and spawned personal undergraduate work in the same area. This book did not fail my high expectations. As a devoted follower of the fashion industry in all its aspects, much of what she wrote about wasn't brand new to me, however the connections she made among brands and lines put the significance of the celebrity in fashion in a new perspective for me. There were definitely chapters I knew nothing about, for example I had previously only had cursory knowledge about Kanye's fashion snafus. The only negative comment I have was that the book did not include a bibliography, which may be an editor's choice, but to leave out a bibliography even though Agins cites many sources seems to only reinforce the stereotype that fashion journalism not be taken seriously. Overall this was worth my purchase, especially since I rarely buy books "new", and is a text I plan on keeping on my shelf and enjoying returning to.

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for the fashion and celebrity interested, Hijacking the Runway gives a great look at how different major celebrity lines flourished or flopped. Each chapter reads almost independent of the previous like a series of essays all linked to come to the inevitable final question of "can fashion survive celebrity?". Many of the stories are delightful and some little facts crop up that seem so obvious in retrospect but upon reading lead to "oh of course" or "no way" moments.

[Alecia]

Soapy and fun. If you love fashion, you have to read this book. It's a dishy account of what happens behind the scenes of all those celebrity fashion endorsements. We all knew that most of them weren't doing their own work, but I enjoyed finding out the specifics. The author names names, so you don't have to waste time guessing. It was a nice escape to the world of glitz and glamour, and gave me some interesting anecdotes to share with my friends over brunch.

[Mills College Library]

338.47746 A267 2014

[Ang · Rating 2 out of 5]

OOooooooof. A retread of her last book, basically. I mean, whole paragraphs could have just been lifted. Terrible.

[Laura Hyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Dishy and interesting.