 |  |
 |
|
|
 | | Straight from celebrities | | |
Today, more than ever, celebrities play a role in the clothes, shoes, and accessories people choose to wear. Although many of these personalities come from America or are associated with the country, their influence is still surprisingly present in Europe. Why is it that trends originating across the Atlantic Ocean often seem to have more of an influence on Europeans than styles which were developed on their own continent? From famous Americans on TV shows to US athletes in commercials, these days it seems like everyone is looking to the new world to make fashion choices or to sell their clothing products. |
|
A top TV show sparks fashion trends
Sex and the City, which takes place in New York City, has become phenomenally popular throughout northern America and Europe, and it has certainly influenced consumer tastes on both sides of the ocean. The four central women on the show are so style conscious that fashion has become a virtual fifth character on the show, and viewers cannot escape being inevitably influenced by the preferences of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda.
The shoe designer Manolo Blahnik is a perfect example. Although he was already successful, with clients such as Ivana Trump and Winona Ryder, he did not become a household name until Carrie mentioned her obsession with his shoes on her show. Now millions of people around the world know his name and the type of shoes he regularly produces. However, Mr. Blahnik is Spanish. So why did it take an American TV show to popularise his name to the masses in Europe? Yet the evidence is undeniable; as Carrie confidently strides across the television screen in her latest four-inch high Manolo’s, she gives the designer more publicity in seconds than he has received in the decades he has been active in the fashion world.
Samantha’s infamous pearl thong, a gift she received from the cheating Richard, has also sparked trends in Europe. British on-line stores, at least, are offering the thong right and left, all intoning phrases with similar themes: “Buy what Samantha wore”, “Feel sexy like Samantha”, or even “Be a Samantha-style Boyfriend”. However, the beautiful piece of lingerie is actually made of European materials; the lace is French and the famous pearls are from Mallorca. So why didn’t the thong craze start on the continent? Why did the pearl thong have to travel thousands of kilometres before achieving prominence at home? |
|
Taking a look at Friends
Sex and the City celebrities are not the only famous Americans who have popularised fashion over the years. The phenomenally successful show Friends shows its characters in casually chic outfits. The Friends fashion, features cargo pants, cute tank tops, and funky jeans. These perennially American styles have gradually become trendy in Europe as well. More and more stores carry clothes which were once almost exclusively worn by Americans. While Friends is not the only reason for the spreading of American fashion, there is no denying that the new articles of clothing look very similar to what Rachel, Monica, and their friends on the show wear. Why do Europeans feel the need to wear clothes which are similar to what American TV characters wear rather than what characters from shows made on the continent wear? |
|
Athletes have an eye for style
However, celebrities who popularise fashions are not just on TV shows. Who hasn’t seen Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan Nike commercials? Muhammad Ali is one of the most recent big name American sports heroes to market fashion. Now a spokesman for Adidas shoes, Muhammad Ali is Adidas’ hope for rejuvenating its shoe business. The new campaign features the slogan “Impossible is Nothing”, and shows the famous boxer and his daughter Laila Ali sparring in a ring. Thanks to special effects, the ailing boxer seems to be in his prime. The commercial is already out, and has aired on channels such as German MTV. Although the campaign is technically targeted at Americans, its presence on European channels indicates otherwise. Adidas would not air its Muhammad Ali commercial overseas if it were not hoping to boost European as well as American shoe sales. However, the issue is far from black and white, as Adidas also uses the ubiquitous David Beckham to market its shoes. The British soccer player is in hot demand for promotional work, and is undoubtedly helping Adidas sell as many athletic shoes as the famous boxer, if not more, on the continent. |
|
Guidelines from the stars
American celebrities have become the new fashion dictators in today’s world. Yet the fact remains that Europe should have its own style identity, and not merely recreate or copy American trends. After all, most people acknowledge that the fashion capitals of the world are Paris and Milan, not Washington, DC or Los Angeles. The influence of American celebrities on European fashion is undeniable, yet it is almost impossible to say why these styles are so compelling, or why Europe relies on the American media to advertise clothes which were often created by Europeans or are composed of European materials. One thing is certain: when it comes to fashion, Europeans should not simply look to American celebrities on TV shows or on sports commercials. Rather, they should take the time to discover the myriad of talent which already exists on the continent. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
© September 2010 - European Publications GmbH
|
|
|
