With unlimited funds, designers on speed dial and an entire army of stylists on rotation, celebrities are arguably some of the most fashionable people in the world. But just because Rihanna won a CFDA Fashion Icon Award, doesn’t mean that she can design a collection. Many stars we consider to be sartorial heroes can’t actually design anything. Many have successfully launched their own brand or partnered with a major label, but a few have failed—miserably. The lesson here? If you’re not an Olsen twin, it might be better to leave creative design to the pros.
Rihanna + Armani Jeans
Whatever Rihanna is selling, we’re buying—unless of course it’s her Armani Jeans capsule collection. People loved it when it first came out, and her second season was a highly-anticipated lineup of casual, distressed denim, t-shirts, jackets and bags. Armani released sketches of the collection which was supposed to be released in April 2013—and we never heard of it again. Maybe there were creative differences, maybe there was legal trouble, maybe RiRi decided to reinvent herself. Whatever the case, the collection was dead in the water.
Lindsay Lohan at Ungaro
In 2009, French label Ungaro decided to hire mid-meltdown Lindsay Lohan to be their “artistic advisor” under designer Estrella Archs. As anyone might imagine, it did not go well. Her multi-season contract with the brand was reportedly worth millions, but her Spring 2010 collection was hit with such scathing reviews that it was terminated after just one show. Vogue called it a “bad joke” and “tasteless,” suggesting that both designers may not survive until next season. Archs managed to maintain her position, but LiLo was given the boot.
Beyoncé’s House of Deréon
Beyoncé is queen for a reason—and it has nothing to do with her failed fashion line. Launched in 2006 in partnership with her mom Tina Knowles, the label was supposed to give fans a taste of the singer’s ultra-glam style, but reviewers called it garish and trashy, one even suggesting she didn’t deserve a spot at New York Fashion Week. Yikes. Sales numbers reflected these sentiments and the brand eventually folded in 2012. Since then the singer has had successful collaborations with high-street brands like Topshop and H&M, but it might better if she leaves the real work to the pros.
Miley Cyrus and Max Azria
Long before Miley Cyrus was licking everything in sight, she partnered up with Hervé Léger designer Max Azria to make a capsule collection—for Wal-Mart of all places. The line was an absolute mess. Azria fans would not have been caught dead in the union jack and plaid button downs Miley was hocking, and her tween fans felt the same way. It sat on the shelves for over two years with dismal sales until it was finally pulled in 2011. More recently, her collaborations with designers like Moschino’s Jeremy Scott have been much more successful.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Bitten
People can’t seem to understand that Carrie Bradshaw is a fictional character and Sarah Jessica Parker is an actress. These two things are not interchangeable. In 2007, she started a line called Bitten that when under two years later when its exclusive retailer, Steve & Barry’s went bankrupt, but perhaps it was for the best. Reviews often noted that the designs were cheap, poorly made and lacked style. Ouch. In the years since then, she has collaborated with designers without gaining any sort of notoriety for her work. Thankfully, she stepped up her game in 2015 when she designed a shoe collection with Tracy Reese and a line of footwear at Nordstrom that has been selling fairly well. Nothing stellar, but at least they aren’t being referred to as cheap and cheesy.
