Star struck
Intimate apparel & sleepwear
A good celebrity endorsement can propel a brand's image into the stratosphere if managed correctly.
Jill Pullen spoke to several intimate apparel and sleepwear companies, who have joined forces with some of today's hottest stars, about their successful ventures and how to develop a line with a difference.
Celebrity appeal underpins a multi-million dollar merchandising
industry so it is no surprise that Australian lingerie designers are
increasingly hiring well-known faces to help spruik their wares.
Hired not only to put their face to a brand, many companies are now
seeking celebrities to put their name to the label in a further bid to
fuel sales.
Lingerie designer and managing director of the Jupi Corporation Bruno
Schiavi is one such entrepreneur who has long seen the value of hiring
celebrities to drive a brand's image.
Joining forces with Australian singing sensation Delta Goodrem in 2004, the pair launched a co-designed lingerie line dubbed Delta by anabella.
Launched in K-Mart stores in Australia and New Zealand, predictions early
on indicated a hugely successful line that had the potential to one day
go overseas.
"I originally met Delta on the set of the film Hating Alison Ashley in
Melbourne. We were sitting in her caravan in between scenes, one thing
led to another and I was talking about ladies lingerie to someone that I
didn't really know which was quite bizarre. She knew about my range
anabella so I came up with the idea of doing a range together."
At the time of meeting Schiavi insists he wasn't looking for a celebrity
to put their name to his label, however says they got on so well that he
believed she could be a good fit for the brand.
"I believe that celebrity brands, if done well, can really work. I see it
as becoming a real trend in the lingerie market, but having said that you
have to be really careful as to who you choose as they must do justice to
your brand. If the celebrity you choose sets out of line in one way or
another it could really damage your brand."
Upon deciding to go into a joint venture, Schiavi recommends that the
designer and celebrity see eye to eye on most aspects of the impending
project if it is to be a runaway success.
"Both people need to be aligned because if you are going in different
directions it's never going to work. You have to be aligned in terms of
how you think, where you are going in life and how you grew up."
Launched in October 2004, Delta by anabella has come a long way over the
years, continually re-inventing itself in order to remain loyal to its
target market who, as Schiavi says is growing up alongside Goodrem.
"If you look at the collection we launched with and compared it to the
line we will release later this month, you can see how the collection has
grown. It is really important to actually grow with the celebrity,
because in my case what worked for [Goodrem] when she was 19 wouldn't
work for her now. It is very important that companies remember this."
Coinciding with the impending launch of Delta's debut album
Innocent
Eyes
in the US, the company will launch its Delta by anabella range in
an unconfirmed major US chain store later this year.
In Australia, the company has also signed a deal with discount department store Big W, which will see the launch of an exclusive lingerie range on February 14. The collection will retail for $19 for bras and $7 for briefs, g-strings and boyleg pants and will feature a stylish range of colours including pink, cream and black.
Schiavi, who began venturing into the fashion market in 1996 with the
launch of his infamous Pocket Sock, is also well known for his MensFit
underwear collection, of which Neighbours star Blair McDonough is
the face.
"I wanted to be associated with him because he is the tydoor. Men could relate to him and the ladies loved him, so he was the
perfect person for the brand."
McDonough has been the face of the brand for two years. His contract will
end later this month. An announcement will be made in March on the new
face of the label.
It's not just spunky young things like Goodrem and McDonough that can
capture the public's imagination.
Apparel giant The Berlei Group is continuing to enjoy phenomenal success
following the appointment of television stars Nicollette Sheridan and
Sophie Falkiner and as the ambassadors of Hestia and Berlei respectively.
Joining the company in May 2005, Sheridan, who is best known for current
role in US smash Desperate Houswives, has challenged the traditional perception of women's work in an extensive yet innovative
promotional campaign.
The latest campaign, which was shot in Sydney late last year, showcases
Sheridan wearing a range of Hestia bras in locations around the home
doing the washing up, ironing, watering the garden and working the
barbeque.
"With Hestia we wanted to have a little bit of fun," says marketing
manager Voula Serbos.
"The campaign was designed to highlight the liberation of the Australian
woman at home, but with a sense of humour. Sheridan brings confidence and
a sense of fun to the brand which appeals to this target market. On the
back of such a successful television show, we felt the synergy was clear."
To support the launch of the initial campaign, which was shot in Los
Angeles earlier last year, Sheridan traveled to Australia in October to
promote the brand through a series of events all the while 'liberating
Aussie housewives'. In Sydney, she also teamed up with the Sydney
Children's Hospital and a handful of local celebrities to host a
fundraising lunch that debated the age old question 'is housework work?'
Joining the team in mid 2004, Falkiner on the other hand has
appeared in several print media and television commercial campaigns which
have focused on not only promoting new fashion colours in the range, but
encouraging all women to feel comfortable in their skin, no matter what
shape or size. To date she has appeared in campaigns promoting the
company's Barely There, New Legend Maternity and Light as Air bra
collections.
"At the time we were looking for someone that embodied the attribute of
the brand," says Serbos.
"She [Falkiner] has a natural, every-woman appeal with a real figure and
bust...She also epitomises the modern Australian woman as she is a mum,
she has a job and tries to lead a happy, normal life. When we married all
this back to our brand, we felt it was a good fit because Berlei is about
everyday life and everyday bras."
Whilst Serbos acknowledges the continuing trend of companies recruiting
celebrities to flog their labels, she believes it is more important that
companies choose a face, not necessarily for their famous appeal, but one in which embodies the brand's values.
"Having recognised faces endorsing brands, be it sporting personalities,
film stars or television and media presenters, the trend is not something
new. When looking to sign a personality we feel it is highly important to
ensure they personify what it is that we are aiming to communicate."
Iconic Australian underwear company Holeproof has also jumped on the
celebrity bandwagon in recent times, recruiting Hollywood starlet Nicky
Hilton and rock royalty daughter Kimberly Stewart to front their Antz
Pantz campaign.
"We were looking for the ideal it girl, so we needed someone who had a
lot of appeal, was fun, gorgeous and sexy and who loved to have a good
time," says Holeproof general manager Helen Anderson.
"These two girls were the perfect fit because they epitomised the Antz
Pantz attitude and every time we of them having the time of their lives."
The party girl pair sailed into our shores in September last year to also
act as talent scouts for the Australian Antz Pantz It Girl model search.
Up and coming Gold Coast model Megan Maitland won the contest, scoring
the chance to star alongside the dynamic duo in an Antz Pantz television
commercial shoot in Sydney. Current plans see Maitland flying to Los
Angeles in March to shoot next season's promotional campaign alongside
Stewart. Hilton's contract with the company has expired.
The print media campaign will be launched in Australia and New Zealand
between July and August.
"Celebrities really do help lift the profile and awareness of brands. Our
tracking data on our brand profile with consumers has lifted enormously
since the campaign began...particularly amongst our younger customers who
really look up to these girls and love the type of lifestyle they have."
Anderson says the company will continue to work with Maitland once the
campaign is finished.
"We are looking to keep [Maitland] on because we really feel she
eopitomises the Australian Antz Pantz girl. Maybe we can turn her into
the next celebrity!! Having said that, we are always interested in
finding 'it girl' type celebrities, it just depends on whether we think
they are suitable for the brand."
