Are Celebrity Clothes All Sponsored?

The truth about why celebrities look and dress the way they do

By Leslie Gornstein Feb 14, 2009 5:07 PMTags
Penelope CruzArnaldo Magnani/Getty Images

Is it true that most stars are basically sponsored by a fashion icon? In other words, they don't pay for their clothing?
—Toby, England

What a timely, fashiony question to kick off New York Fashion Week, you fashionably timely person! So you mean when Penélope Cruz parades around in, as she says, "Ottth-car de la Renta," does she get to keep las ropas? Si.

"If a piece is worn on a red carpet or other public appearance," says a rep from fashion PR firm HSM, "the celebrity definitely gets to keep it." (HSM client KRMA has been supplying free togs to Katy Perry and Pink.)

As for how you can get so lucky, darling: "Get your acting credits going, get out there. Or if you marry Orlando Bloom, you're probably getting some free clothes."

How much does the average A-lister assistant make?
—The Wackness, via Twitter

On average, as little as $30,000 up into the six figures.

How do movie premieres work? Can I just go to a city where a big movie premiere takes place, slip in the crowd, cheer and have a look at my favorite movie stars, or do I actually need a ticket?
—Miriam and Véro, Quebec City

You need no ticket—in fact, for non-Industry people, there usually are no tickets. As much as movie studios love for fans to think of premieres as a place where stars meet the fans, it's actually quite the opposite. Stars really don't want you there, even though they may pull a Brad Pitt and spend a while signing autographs.

Find out where your intended premiere is, go there and enjoy being herded and prodded by the ever-friendly security team. You'll find yourself behind a row of tape, jockeying for position behind professional autograph seekers. Good luck with that.

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