How male celebrities are crashing the fashion party

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
09-SEP-04

The fashion world has taken over New York again this fall for the 10th annual Fashion Week and, as usual, women are the belles of the ball. Yet as fashion has become a more significant aspect of celebrity brands, more and more male celebrities are getting in on the action.

Sean "P Diddy" Combs, Donald Trump and Tony Hawk are three male celebrities with phenomenally successful careers, who are crashing the fashion party by launching their own lines of clothing.

These ventures represent just a small piece of their businesses. But in each case, the impact on their brands can be dramatic.

Here's a look at the effects of fashion ventures on these three personality-driven brands. (The brand-assets meter ranges from $ to $$$$.)

Sean "P Diddy" Combs

Whether you love him, hate him, or love to hate him, this self-proclaimed king of fashion has become just that. His successful music career led many to think that his entry into the fashion world was all vanity and no substance, but he has proven those doubters dead wrong.

Combs earned the begrudging respect of the skeptical fashion industry by winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America award for best menswear designer early this year. His Sean John line is flourishing, and boasts a number of new store openings, including a Fifth Avenue location, further proving that he is a fashion force to take seriously.

His foray into fashion has bolstered his overall brand immeasurably. His annual celebrity-studded Fourth of July "white party" at his Hamptons home has become a branding extension as well, further solidifying him as an arbiter of taste in music and style. By using his personal brand to promote his style _ instrumental to his success in the music industry _ he has taken his talent to new heights without jeopardizing his brand.

Combs' Brand A$$$$ets

Donald Trump

Until recently, Trump was known mostly for his business comeback story and trademark hairstyle. In the past year that has all changed as he has been transformed into an undeniable TV star before our eyes.

With a second "Apprentice" launching this week, he is following up his on-screen success with the launch of a magazine and a clothing line. While Trump has certainly achieved aspirational brand status, with best-selling books and businesses under his belt, he has also experienced his fair share of failure (even a bankruptcy!) _ a natural result of his risk-taking, which is a common characteristic of most entrepreneurs. While Trump's marketing savvy has always been top-notch, his plan to include the Trump family crest on each piece in his men's fashion line suggests that he anticipates his customers will cross over from admiration to idolatry. This concerns us but, as always, we can't bring ourselves to bet against Trump. Those that do live to regret it.

Trump's Brand A$$$ets

Tony Hawk

If you haven't heard of Tony Hawk, ask your child who he is.

At only 16, Hawk became the best skateboarder in the world and now, at age 35, he arguably still holds the title. His label, Hawk Clothing, makes gear for skateboarders and targets the 6-to-14-year-old set, which he believes is the largest growing demographic for skateboarding.

By serving such a specific market, he is capitalizing on the industry he knows best and, by focusing on this young age group, he is maximizing the longevity of his brand, which will remain a household name for the future generation of skateboarders. Hawk's decision to create and sponsor a young team of skateboarders demonstrates smart brand management. Still, the clothing line is only one of Hawk's brand extensions; he has a radio show on Sirius Satellite radio network as well as a foundation, a skate park tour he created for ESPN, and numerous endorsements. He is also the face of a best-selling skating video game and the author of a best-selling autobiography.

By staying true to the sport he knows best, he has found success through multiple brand extensions and our bet is that there will be many more to come.

Hawk's Brand A$$$$ets

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus, president of Ettus Media Management, is a leading voice on personality-driven brands. Her first book, "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do" (Random House), will be published this month. Send comments and questions to Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)