Stardom in the Fashion World
Stardom is an area of study that has been explored both in practice and theory. The stars that attract audiences to cinema are often well known for their fashion sense.
A career in fashion requires a passion for the industry and resilience to withstand long hours and unflinching critiques. But many stars aren’t prepared for the rigors of the business, leading them to quit.
Rihanna
Rihanna’s rise to stardom began when she was 16 years old and discovered by American record producer Evan Rogers in her home country of Barbados. Her demo was sent to Def Jam Recordings CEO Jay-Z who invited her for an audition and she left with a six album recording deal.
The release of her first album, Music of the Sun and her first hit single Pon de Replay launched Rihanna to international fame. She rebranded herself with the release of her second album Good Girl Gone Bad which introduced a more fetish-shaded image featuring leather and bondage straps while also showing off her signature heavy-lidded sexy stance.
The fashion world embraced her wild style as she became the first female black musician to have 14 Billboard Hot 100 number one singles and was named a CFDA fashion icon. She’s since become a mogul with her ownership of Tidal streaming service, Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty lingerie and apparel lines under the LVMH luxury brand.
Twiggy
Twiggy was one of the first supermodels of modern times. Born Lesley Hornby in 1949, her spare frame and bird-like features were a rare exception to fashion’s strict ideas of beauty. At the age of 15, she was discovered by hairdresser Nigel Davies, who gave her a boyish haircut. She went on to model for Vogue, Tatler, and Elle and posed with photographers such as Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon.
After a four-year modelling career, Twiggy opted for a film career. She appeared in films like The Boy Friend and earned two Golden Globe awards. She also starred in a series of musicals and even hosted television shows.
In addition to her many philanthropic projects, she is involved with campaigns against animal abuse and usage of fur. She also supports research and awareness about breast cancer. In 2019, she was awarded a damehood by the Queen of England. She is married to Leigh Lawson, an actor and director. They have a daughter named Carly and live in West London.
Kanye West
Kanye West is one of a kind: a rapper whose music and creative pursuits are revered almost as much as his controversial public statements about the music industry, US politics, and, most recently, his marriage to reality star Kim Kardashian. His restless quest to reimagine hip hop’s sonic palette has earned him three Grammys and, with the release of Late Registration, propelled him into the pantheon of pop culture’s most lauded artists.
In the fashion world, his eponymous line of shoes and clothing has earned mixed reviews while his collaborations with Nike and Louis Vuitton have introduced him to the mainstream fashion world. He has also interned at Fendi alongside Off-White founder Virgil Abloh and presented two ready-to-wear collections, both of which were widely pilloried by critics.
Although many might criticize the multihyphenate for using fashion as a platform for his ego, the years of work that he has invested in launching his label have allowed him to carve out a niche for himself in the world of haute couture.
Kim Kardashian
While her sisters have carved out their own niches (Kris, Khloe and Kendall all have their own beauty lines, and Gigi has a runway career), Kim Kardashian is the one who has become the face of fashion. From her teal tuxedo wrap gown at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party to her Givenchy wedding dress and Vogue cover, Kim is now considered a bona fide fashion darling.
Back in the mid-noughties though, her style left a lot to be desired. From bright gold dresses to garish satin, she barely made the ‘best-dressed’ lists back then.
But something changed around 2012. The eponymous star was featured on a CR Fashion Book shoot with Ricardo Tisci and her look was the first sign that designers were beginning to take notice. From there on, she’s been in the spotlight ever since. And with every new style era she goes through, Kim proves that she’s a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world.
