Celebrity Design

Dr. Dre Heads To Fenway To Promote His Red Sox Beats

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Apr 5th 2010 at 10:01PM

How do you sell your Boston Red Sox-branded product to Red Sox fans? Dr. Dre knows. The rapper showed up at Fenway Park to promote the Red Sox Beats by Dr. Dre headphones from Monster. The officially licensed Red Sox Beats are the latest version of Dr. Dre's well-received headphones. Dr. Dre donned a Red Sox jersey and took a little batting practice in the historic baseball park.

The Red Sox are the first officially licensed professional sports team to have a set of Beats. Why does a baseball team needs branded headphones? I'm not sure but the Red Sox fans are some of the most devoted you'll find anywhere so there is likely a market for these. The Red Sox Beats come with a carrying case, cables and an adapter and sell for $400.

Tags: beats by dre, boston red sox, dr dre, red sox, red sox beats

Vince Neil Is Launching A Private Jet Company

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 19th 2010 at 12:01AM

Vince Neil, the lead singer of Motley Crüe isn't the rock star I would peg to be a successful mogul but he seems to have his fingers in a lot of different businesses. He's launched wine and tequila brands and now he's got his own fleet of private jets. Vince Neil Aviation is launching out of McCarran Airport's Signature Terminal in Las Vegas. Robin Leach reports that Neil has a Hawker 700, a Lear 35 and a Gulfstream which all are tricked out with rock and roll-themed furnishings and painted flames on the fuselage. The plan is to promote the jets for use on luxurious short hops in and out of Sin City. Vince will provide the pilots and flight attendants for the private charter trips. The new flight service plans to open soon and details on price aren't available yet. So, will you be flying the Vince skies?

Gallery: Celebrity Pilots

Tags: las vegas, McCarran Airport, MccarranAirport, Motley Crue, motley-crue, private jet charter, private jet services, private jets, vince neil, vince neil aviation

The Fashion Statement: More Celebrity Hookups Good or Bad?

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) — Mar 18th 2010 at 9:00AM

Celebrities have no intention of staying away from fashion, even with all the bad press lately (see last season's disastrous Lohan/Ungaro mash up). Last week Madonna teamed up with Iconix Brand Group to produce a tween line inspired by her daughter Lourdes. Early this week, she struck another deal with Dolce & Gabbana to produce a line of eyewear called MDG. Amy Winehouse hooked up with Fred Perry for a line scheduled to hit stores in the fall. And then there is Sarah Jessica Parker and Halston and a myriad of Olympic stars lending their now recognizable names to brands.

Since the days of Jaclyn Smith for Kmart in the '80s and Kathy Lee Gifford for Wal-Mart in the 90s, celebrities have been ubiquitous in the fashion field. It's not hard to guess what their primary motivator is. A brand generally spends loads of money for the privilege of using a household name.

But does it do anything for a brand? Based on some marketing studies I found online, the jury is out on that one. One guy called it the lazy man's brand building. Another said it's very hard for the consumer to keep track of what celebrity is with whom and harder still to trust a brand just from a celebrity endorsement alone. And if a celeb is hooked up with lots of different brands, each individual brand could really suffer.

Tags: amy winehouse, AmyWinehouse, celebrity endorsement, celebrity endorsement deals, celebrity endorsements, Celebrity fashion designers, celebrity fashion lines, Lourdes, Madonna, Tiger Woods, TigerWoods

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Liam Gallagher's Clothing Line, Pretty Green

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 18th 2010 at 2:01AM

Rock stars and clothing lines are nothing new, we've seen everyone from Kings of Leon to Kenny Chesney take a shot at the clothing biz. But Oasis singer Liam Gallagher's line for men, Pretty Green, has been so successful that he's turning to women's clothing. Vogue UK reports that Gallagher is adding womenswear to his Pretty Green collection.

The Pretty Green line is described as an up-front, straight talking, classic clothing range that is owned and designed by Gallagher. All pieces, including scarves, jackets and T-shirts are described as limited edition and all are subject to Liam's final approval. He's made it clear on the website and in a video about the line (after the jump) that his motivation for the clothing was to create something that he himself was looking for in fashion design. The Pretty Green website bears his quote: "Clothes and music are my passion. I'm not here to rip anyone off and I'm not doing it for the money either. I'm doing it cuz there's a lack of stuff out there of the things I would wear." How that will apply to designing for women is yet to be seen.

Tags: celebrity clothing line, Celebrity Clothing Lines, liam gallagher, oasis, pretty green, rock star clothing line

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Madonna Designs Sunglasses For Dolce & Gabbana

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 17th 2010 at 1:01AM

madonna and dolce and gabbana sunglasses

After Madonna's sexy turn as an Italian housewife for Dolce & Gabbana, she has taken the her collaboration with the designers one step further, creating a sunglasses line. The collection isn't out yet but a few images have surfaced. The sexy shades are branded with both Madonna's name and Dolce & Gabbana. Some pieces feature the D&G logo appended with a star-bedazzled M. The glasses should sell for $248-$289.

Tags: designer sunglasses, dolce and gabbana, madonna, sunglasses

Kardashian Jewelry Available For Pre-Order

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 15th 2010 at 11:01PM

The Kardashian sisters are no strangers to retail. Not did they open two boutiques but among the three brunette beauties they have a line of clothing with Bebe, fragrance deals, diet supplements and even luxury lollipops. They have also worked with accessories brand Virgins, Saints & Angels to create The Kardashian Collection, a line of jewelry that recently went on pre-order sale at Ylang 23. The small collection includes rings, necklaces and earrings and prices range from $185 for spiked earrings to over $1,000 for a sterling silver cuff bracelet. The sisters took some of their inspiration from their Armenian heritage as well as working with the gypsy bohemian style that categorizes the Virgins, Saints & Angels aesthetic. Pieces are handcrafted in Mexico and made of silver and bronze. Pre-orders are being taken now online for delivery in 6-8 weeks. The Armenian cross piece shown at right sells for $550.

[via JCK Online]

Tags: celebrity jewelry, Celebrity Jewelry Lines, kardashian jewelry, khloe kardashian, kim kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, virgins

Erin Wasson's New Jewelry Line

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 15th 2010 at 9:03PM

Model Erin Wasson joins her fellow Victoria's Secret runway strutter Heidi Klum in the jewelry design business. She has launched her new line on MyWardrobe.com. The first pieces combine rocker edge with a bit of history. Her knuckle ring has a bit of a medieval look to it and her cuff features hieroglyphics. Vogue UK reports that the Low Luv by Erin Wasson first debuted on the Alexander Wang catwalk for autumn/winter 2008. Pieces are plated in gold and silver and sell in the $100 to $350 range. Check out highlights in the gallery below.

[via Vogue UK]

Gallery: Low Luv by Erin Wasson

Tags: celebrity jewelry, Celebrity Jewelry Lines, Erin Wasson, low luv by erin wasson

You're it with Maria Sharapova's TAG Heuer Eyewear Collection

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2010 at 3:01PM

Your list of personal attributes might not include blonde, 6' 2" and mean-with-a-backhand. There might not be a Wimbledon trophy with your name on it. You might not even be Russian. But that doesn't mean you can't at least look like – kind of – the person who has all of those qualities. To do so, you should probably start with the Maria Sharapova Sunglass Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear.

Designed by the Grand Slam winner herself, the collection includes aviator frames in motorsports-grade stainless steel, or thick, hand-polished, black acetate large-format frames. That latter variety is available in several trims: black with gray or gradated lenses; ivory frame with blue grey lenses; tortoiseshell with gradient brown lenses; and dark plum with gradient pink lenses. And so that there will be no doubt, her autograph is discreetly laser-etched into the ultra light, shatter-resistant, UVA- and UVB-protected lenses.

The collection goes on sale as of this month, retailing for $250.00 at TAG Heuer Eyewear retailers. Your road to the Grand Slam begins here, and once you've mastered the glasses you can work on that backhand...

Gallery: Maria Sharapova Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear

Tags: accessories, EyeWear, glasses, maria sharapova, sunglasses, tag, tag heuer

Lindsay Lohan Out At Ungaro?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 8th 2010 at 7:01PM

Last fall saw Lindsay Lohan walking the runway as she unveiled her new fashion collaboration with Ungaro. But while Lohan was in Paris for the shows recently she was not at the Ungaro presentation. Black Book reports that Ungaro owner Asim Adullah told WWD that Lohan was not invovled with the latest collection. It's not known if she has been officially let go. Reviews of Lohan's 1980s-inspired line were less than kind. The fashions included sequined heart pasties used not just to cover nipples but as forehead adornment, neon colors, harem pants and shoulder-baring tops recalling the very worst of 1980s fashion. But perhaps the outrage was preferable to the distinct lack of excitement over Ungaro's latest offerings. Booth Moore of the LA Times says that while the collection was probably better for the being Lohanless, the print blouses, cropped pants and ruched cocktail dresses by Estrella Archs were inoffensive but not very exciting. Is it better to be crazy and derided or predictable and forgettable? We'll have to wait and see if Ungaro decides to let Lindsay back at the drawing board.

UPDATE: Lindsay Lohan confirmed that she is no longer with Ungaro and made a mysterious reference to "legal things" that are going on with the deal.

Tags: estrella archs, lindsay lohan, paris fashion week, ungaro

Padma Lakshmi's Seedy New Jewelry Line

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) — Mar 8th 2010 at 10:02AM

Padma Lakshmi models her own jewelry designs

Padma Lakshmi has the career of seven women. She's a model, author, a TV host (most notably Top Chef) and now, the new mom has a jewelry line.

PADMA launched in May 2009 and consists of 40+ earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings inspired by Lakshmi's eclectic past. She was born in India, raised in both India and the US, and has lived in France, Spain and Italy. "I love the rich heritage and beauty of traditional Indian jewelry, but I wanted something more modern and delicate. I also wanted to create something that women would love to wear everyday; pieces that work with jeans and cocktail dresses, jewelry that highlights the myriad sides of a woman's personality without upstaging her."

The collection features an India-inspired hand piece, a "back to front" necklace which "adorns a woman's back as much as her décolleté, cascading down the neck on both sides" and a micro-collection called "the Nav," which is based around traditional Hindu beliefs, incorporating stones which represent the nine planets and harnessing their energy.

Even her foodie experience has influenced her designs. "In hunting for the most precious spices, I found the shapes of seeds and pods exquisite, a purity of proportion and form that had an inherent sensuality to them." We find the designs subtle and thoughtful with a distinct womanliness. The collection's seed and pod themes are exceptionally well-suited to make gifts for pregnant women -- how apt that Padma just gave birth to a baby girl, Krishna.

We interviewed Padma via email about her new jewelry collection, her career and her life.

Luxist: How has your multi-faceted career led you to jewelry?

Padma Lakshmi: Even before my fifteen years in fashion, as a child I was always attracted to my mother's jewel box. Over the years I've been lucky enough to gather some beautiful pieces through my travels along the way. But at a certain point, I wasn't finding exactly what I was looking for in the accessories marketplace and it turned out that others weren't either. I started reproducing the bespoke custom pieces that I had created for myself; that's pretty much the organic process of how the company came about.

Gallery: PADMA by Padma Lakshmi

Tags: celebrity, designer interview, DesignerInterview, jewelry, Padma Lakshmi, PadmaLakshmi, pregnancy, Top Chef, TopChef

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Nicole Murphy Creates Jewelry Line

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 5th 2010 at 3:01PM

Nicole Murphy might be most famous for being Eddie Murphy's ex-wife (and now Michael Strahan's fiancee) but she also had a career as a model and now has launched her own line of jewelry. Murphy and her business partner Yolanda Braddy created Friendship, Love and Peace, a line of necklaces and bracelets composed of beads in a variety of materials. Prices range from under $100 for simple lava stone bead bracelets to over $6,000 for a knotted bracelet with champagne diamond-covered beads. The designs are meant to appeal to both men and women and the different textures give the pieces an organic tactile quality. The jewelry can be ordered online and is set to appear in boutiques and department stores later this year. Stars that have worn the pieces include Adam Lambert and Slash.

Gallery: Friendship, Love and Peace by Nicole Murphy

Tags: adam lambert, AdamLambert, celebrity jewelry, Celebrity Jewelry Lines, CelebrityJewelry, CelebrityJewelryLines, Nicole Murphy, NicoleMurphy, slash

Fuzzy Zoeller Is In The Vodka Business

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 4th 2010 at 3:01PM

Professional golfer Fuzzy Zoeller has joined the list of celebrities with his own vodka. The golfer, currently on the seniors tour, has been in the news recently weighing in on the Tiger Woods apology and chiding Woods for not apologizing more quickly.

Zoeller launched his vodka in Indiana during The Senior U.S. Open at Crooked Stick last year. Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka was awarded a gold medal and a rating of 94 by Chicago's International Beverage Testing Institute. The vodka is filtered ten times through charcoal and crushed volcanic rock and is batch distilled in the U.S. using Cascade Mountain spring water. A portion of each batch is aged for two months in fresh oak barrels and then is reintroduced to the final product. It sells for around $30.

When asked why a vodka instead of a wine like Ernie Els or Greg Norman, Zoeller told the Daily Pilot that he's not a wine drinker but that he does "drink a little vodka every once in a while, every day with a 'y' in it."

Tags: fuzzy zoeller, fuzzy zoeller vodka, fuzzys vodka, FuzzysVodka, FuzzyZoeller, FuzzyZoellerVodka

Karl Lagerfeld Designs Luxury Safe

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 3rd 2010 at 11:01PM

Safety-minded narcissists have a new ally in designer Karl Lagerfeld. Lagerfeld has partnered with German luxury safe maker Döttling to create the Narcissus, a limited edition safe that weighs over 1,700 pounds and is clad in high-gloss chrome-plated aluminum. The gleaming monolith is just under six-feet tall and less than a foot deep. The project took approximately two years from concept to completion. When activated twin doors slide open to reveal watch winders and jewelry drawers. The chilly minimalist design seems like it would suit a villain in a James Bond movie. There will be just 30 safes made and each sells for 250,000 euros. The first safe went to Lagerfeld himself.

[via WWD]

Tags: dottling, karl lagerfeld, KarlLagerfeld, luxury safe, LuxurySafe, narcissus safe, NarcissusSafe

Giorgio Armani to Design for Lady Gaga

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Feb 26th 2010 at 7:02AM

Lady Gaga is known for her 'love it or hate it' fashion sense and it seems that designer Giorgio Armani has stationed himself firmly on the 'love it' side and designed several outfits for just for her to use on stage during her current concert tour. Shown here is one of the creations, a sparkling structured bodysuit with plunging neckline and exaggerated shoulders, and others include a floor-length black trench and a mini-dress with dramatic mirror effects. All the outfits are made with matching shoes and sunglasses, also by Armani, who was quoted on Lady Gaga as saying "In addition to her formidable songwriting skills, she is a modern fashion phenomenon."

Tags: giorgio armani, GiorgioArmani, lady gaga, LadyGaga

Kobe Bryant's Aston Martin Edition Nike Hyperdunks

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) — Feb 25th 2010 at 8:02PM

Value isn't a term typically bantered about by collectors. Value for such enthusiasts exists on a different plain. If something's a must-have, then they must have it, and that's the value. Take, for example, these special edition Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoes. Nike's only making 500 pair, and they're already trading for as much as $700.

So what makes these so special? Not the shoes themselves, but the feat they supposedly represent. A couple of years ago NBA all-star Kobe Bryant appeared in a video for Nike in which he appeared to have jumped over an Aston Martin roadster that was speeding right at him. In the middle of the playoffs, no less. Bryant looked to have cleared the car, and people went nuts. Of course it was all camera tricks, even if he actually is capable of theoretically pulling it off.

That's what these shoes celebrate. They've got Kobe's signature embossed on the inside of the tongue, and Aston Martin's winged logo on the outside. Are they worth seven bills? Well, that depends... to who?

Gallery: Nike Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition