Are current Hollywood style ‘icons’ really ‘iconic’? or is it all just expert marketing?
Ask any zood-board homie who the mens style ‘icons’ of the current zeitgeist are and they’ll probably hit you back with a Jacob Elordi paparazzi pic or a Harold Stylish looking eclectic in a sheer Gucci suit.
However, are these styles the true aesthetic vision of the ‘icon’ themselves? or are they manufactured in a lab in the form of an elaborate marketing campaign by a stylist/s? And if it’s the latter, should they really be lorded as iconic if each look took a team of staff to put together?
Jacob Elordi steps out of NBC’s Today Show in New York City, donning a tailored double-breasted coat with classic denim and cool, dark sunglasses. Photo: IMAGO / MediaPunch
I mean there’s no question that stylist are at least partially involved. For any red carpet, on-stage or campaign look, I’d be surprised if a stylist hadn’t run their eye over it.Celebrities at this level garner such a huge amount of attention, so from a business and marketing perspective, what they wear is important not just for their personal brand but also for the companies trying to reach their fan base.
I feel Justin Bieber is the perfect example of what happens to ‘a style icon’ when they decide they no longer need their stylist.At the peak of his career his influence on style (with the help on Jerry Lorenzo) was huge, he would’ve sold SOOOO many clothes, but now every outfit of his I see is so awful. Even when seen with his impeccably styled supermodel wife, it’s almost like he doesn’t know or care what he’s doing style-wise beyond a hoodie, oversized denim or sweat-pants.
Are you going to the same event? Hailey and Justin Bieber's contrasting style choices Photo: Daily Mail
With this being the case, I don’t believe we should herald these celebrities as style ‘icons’. If anything, the stylists and/or designers of each look should be given more credit as they’re the one mood-boarding and piecing together the aesthetic. Additionally, with large budgets and industry connections, stylist will also likely have access to a larger library of niche and expensive pieces to draw from. Consequently making their outfits seem more unique and ‘iconic’.
If the celeb is a big enough name, brands will also often tailor pieces to fit the ‘icon’ perfectly, so if spotted wearing the garment it’ll look as good as possible. Sizing for our individual body types is so understated when it comes to how off-the-shelf pieces look, I wish we could all have the tailored treatment!
Although I say all this, i’m in no way trashing the ‘icons’ themselves. They’re usually talented, charismatic and naturally attractive, people which is why others love them and why they amass such huge fan bases. With that said, being influential brings a unique opportunity, one to make money and ‘sell’ a lifestyle to those who wish emulate their idol. Unfortunately you can’t sell talent, charm or good looks directly fans, however you can sell the idea of these traits through clothes/style.
Brands know this, and of course they want to capitalise on it. So next time you see Paul Mescal stunting in the Gucci horse-bit loafers, maybe hold off of the ‘iconic’ label. It could be less about his personal taste and more likely about Gucci leveraging his persona to sell luxury shoes.
