Fashion Star Episode 2: Clothes Sell Out Again

Reality series Fashion Star saw improved ratings last night as people across the U.S. tuned in to watch Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos mentor emerging fashion designers.

But when it comes to innovative design and durability, is the clothing featured on the NBC show actually any good?

Contestants have been briefed to create consumer-driven wares and stock is moving. For two weeks now, pieces picked up by retailers H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s have sold out after their post-show release.

Dream team: Fashion Star's mentor panel including Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos and Nicole Richie. Designs have attracted criticism elsewhere

Lisa Vian Hunter, a 47 year-old clothing designer from Washington, presented a simple empire waist dress. Pockets and self-ties were stitched into the front and her range came out in pink, black and a black and white floral print. It was picked up to be sold at Macy's.

But Vian Hunter’s design could not be described as fresh or unique.

It was much the same story for Sarah Parrott, 31 and her trousers as well as Nzimiro Oputa, 28 and his business shirt.

 

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The most original piece came from Kara Laricks, a 38 year-old designer from New York City. She presented a draped shift dress in red, black and grey plaid.

 

Generally, Critics of the show have not been impressed. WWD said: 'Unlike some of its predecessors, this show landed with a concept that was compelling - too bad the clothes weren’t.'

Brian Coats, GQ’s senior fashion and market editor, tweeted during last week’s episode: ‘So tomorrow you can go to H&M and buy a dress with commerciality. #goodluck.'

Heather Cocks, founder of the blog Go Fug Yourself, also tweeted: ‘This @NBCFashionStar show is making me consider going into fashion next. I couldn't be any worse than these people. Oy vey. #fashionstar.’

Frock star: Kara Laricks' draped shift dress from last night's episode was one of the better designs. It came in red (above), black and grey plaid

The television program, which was created by the same team behind The Biggest Loser, drew 13per cent more viewers than last week.

The concept's appeal cannot be denied. Celebrity endorsements, catty backstage contestant antics and an original way to interact viewers (given the post-show purchasing opportunities) presented a whole new chapter in entertainment where reality television is blended with e-commerce.

But do Fashion Star’s featured contestants have what it takes to really become design stars and establish their own longevity in an already crowded market?

We’ll probably have to tune in to find out.

Fashion Star Designs Sell Out Overnight

From Fashionista:

Did you watch NBC’s Fashion Star last night? A lot of fashion people did and they seemed pretty disappointed. Well, that’s putting it mildly. A sampling of tweets from the fashion industry sent out during last night’s show:

It’s like watching #ProjectRunway while having a seizure. #FashionStar @NBCFashionStar – Tom + Lorenzo ‏@tomandlorenzo

#FashionStar clearly spent more on music & Nicole Richie’s headbands than it did on anything else. – Heather Cocks, Go Fug Yourself ‏@fuggirls

I don’t think I’ve ever been so utterly confused watching a tv show before tonight. Wtf was that show all about anyway? #FashionStar – Jay McCarroll, designer and first winner of Project Runway, @jaymccarroll

I swear I didn’t plan to get so aggro about #FashionStar but it’s all of our livelihoods on the line if America thinks that was real fashion – Matt Kays, fashion publicist ‏ @mattkays

Reality TV, please face reality! How on earth is #Saks ok with the idea of ordering the same collections as #Macys or #hm? #FashionStar – Rachel Dodes Wortman, reporter for the Wall Street Journal ‏ @racheldodes

But while the fashion industry was appalled with last night’s spectacle (which is an apt descriptor considering there were models on Harleys, backup dancers and smoke machines) the show actually seems to be a hit at retail.

Sarah Parrott and Nicole Christie

I popped into H&M early this morning (don’t ask) to scour for returned Marni for H&M (Success! It was there!) and was checking out next to a girl who was buying two dresses designed by Fashion Star contestant Sarah Parrott. She told me she watched the show last night and loved the dresses so much she went right out to buy them (this was at 9:30 a.m.)–only the turquoise color she wanted was already sold out.

Sarah Parrott was there herself at the H&M on 51st and Fifth, standing next to her dresses on display, along with the judge from H&M, Nicole Christie. Parrott’s dress, Christie told me, sold out, in both colors, by 11:15 p.m. last night. The show ended at 11 p.m. The multi-use zipper skirt designed Orly Shani is sold out online at Saks. Ditto both versions of Nikki Poulos’ kimono-sleeved caftan at Macys.com (the other two items Macy’s purchased–a halter dress by Edmond Newton and the asymmetrical jersey tunic by Lizzie Parker are both still available).

But maybe these items are selling out because retailers placed small orders, designed to sell out fast. Christie assured us that’s not the case. “I can tell you that we ordered the dresses at our normal order size–average H&M quantities,” she said. “And we have it in 101 stores in the country and…it’s flying off the shelves.”

That’s when designer and contestant Sarah Parrott showed me a photo her friend had sent her of the H&M in Atlanta (she’s from nearby Marietta): every woman in the dressing room (about five of them) was trying on her blue dress.

Parrott's winning H&M dress

“I just started doing this six months ago,” Parrott said, taking it all in. “I did Charleston fashion week, got People’s Choice [award] and then Fashion Star came calling and then I did this, and now I’m here–so it’s been really really fast.”

Why Fashion Star over, say, Project Runway? “The platform of the show is just so much more fascinating to me than a Project Runway,” Parrott said. “It’s in stores. We don’t make things out of meat or corn husks or dog collars, it’s true ready-to-wear clothes, and that’s what I do.”

Nikki Poulus, another contestant on Fashion Star (who designed the sold-out caftans bought by Macy’s), also on hand at H&M, agreed. “It’s not clothes made of napkins,” she said, “this is really about the business of fashion.” Though she admitted she wasn’t expecting the American Idol-style spectacle. “I was a little bit surprised at the scale of it and the flashing lights and the music and the dancers and I felt a little underdressed,” Poulus said. “This week there were ladies in fishnets and leather on Harley Davidsons…and I’m very low key by nature.”

I watched last night, and I have to agree...smoke machines, fireworks and dancers on stage really made it look...cheap. I don't think the fashion world will take this show seriously, however, all that matters is ratings and the designs selling out each week. I didn't love anything enough to want to buy it, although I have to say that I loved Nicole Richie's headband. Where can I get that?