Sportswear brand Fila has recently named Hailey Bieber their global ambassador and announced that she will design a clothing line to drop in 2024. The company said the campaign gives “the model and entrepreneur a canvas to express her unique sense of style while utilizing some of the brand’s iconic designs.”
However, fans disagree.
Shortly after the campaign was released, fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the campaign, and rightfully so. The campaign felt like a desperate attempt by Fila to stay relevant. Hailey Bieber is one of the most talked about names, but not in the most flattering way. Thus, fans and myself were specifically upset with Bieber’s role. “I guess I have to throw away all my Fila shoes now,” one fan said on Bieber’s Instagram post.
Bieber draws much of her fame from her ties to her famous husband and influence on social media, especially with skincare and fashion. Bieber used this in her favor when creating her skincare line called “Rhode.” Now, she will be designing a line for Fila, a major sportswear brand that has been around for years before her fame.Although Hailey Bieber has a pattern of ending up in the public glare no matter what, it is understandable that fans are upset with this campaign. DePaul junior Reine St. Amour had a personal experience with Fila growing up as a tennis player.
“As a former tennis player, I feel as if I could never bring myself to buy tennis wear from a producer with no background or experience in the sport or fashion designing,” St. Amour said. “I wore/wear Fila only for the sport and never for the fashion, so I truly doubt this will do well.”
This campaign with Bieber is a blatant attempt for Fila to regain relevancy. Since when does dressing well qualify you to design an entire collection for a sportswear brand? It is incredibly disappointing, considering Bieber shares the campaign with tennis star Reilly Opelka, who has a background in at least one aspect of the brand.
This situation has caused me to wonder whether celebrity fashion and makeup lines, such as Fenty Beauty, Loops and r.e.m. beauty, are fair for the rest of that industry or if they are just flooding it and stopping customers from buying quality products from experts who earned their spot in the world of luxury makeup or clothing.
DePaul sophomore and former stylist Aleina Capel said she would support and trust a celebrity makeup brand if it came from a core passion or interest of theirs.
“For example, I understand why Hailey Bieber started a skincare line because she always talks about her skincare routine and secrets, but it still takes away the support that could be going to smaller names with better results,” Capel said.
Bieber created “Rhode” in June 2022 due to her viral skincare videos on TikTok and Instagram. The brand sold out within minutes after its first drop and continues to do well with customers. However, according to an article by Vanity Fair, Bieber was sued for trademark infringement by a smaller clothing brand with the same name, but Bieber beat the charges and kept the name. That is further proof that celebrities have an advantage over others who work much harder to join this industry.
However, former DePaul Fashion Society President Nayely Barcenas thinks it is fine if celebrities harness their fame for financial gain, especially if a product is a passion.
“If they have the capability to get ahead, why not take it?” Barcenas said. “I think they actually have to work harder to make sure their product does well because of the increased pressure they face.”
Some celebrity brands, such as Rare Beauty and Savage X Fenty, have dominated the industry and even changed it for the better. For example, Fenty Beauty created a new expectation in the makeup industry when Rihanna and her team released more inclusive shades in their products. It is hard not to get roped up in cancel culture and the impactful world of social media, but to form your own opinion on a product or collection, you must do your own research. Only then is having a big name an advantage.
