Fashionable Image: World of PR

PR x Celebrity x Fashion

As a PR girl, it is instinctual for me to recognize the work of a publicist. It doesn’t matter if I am watching CNN or TMZ, I can always tell when a PR person has been involved in creating a story. This is fascinating for me to observe because I feel so many people are unaware that a celebrity rarely makes a move before consulting his or her publicist or Public Relations team. From the newest designer collection a celebrity is wearing while shopping in New York to the chic restaurant a young couple dines at in Los Angeles, almost everything is strategically planned in hopes of securing press.  When a public figure is looking to boost his or her image, they often rely on one common ground: the fashion industry. When fashion meets celebrity meets PR, my heart soars because this is the perfect collision of the worlds that interest me the most. With that being said, it is obvious why I cannot get enough of the headlines I have recently witnessed involving a very familiar face that I never grow tired of seeing.

Zayn, Zayn, Zayn... What a babe, am I right?  From his 2012 audition on X-Factor to his very last concert as a member of One Direction, I have watched his life in the public eye very closely. While in One Direction, Mr. Malik enjoyed insurmountable amounts of fame alongside his band mates. On the outside, it looked as if he couldn’t possibly want any more in life. Money, girls, gigs… why would any 20-something-year-old ever willingly depart from this lifestyle? That was the question many people had on their mind when news broke earlier this year that Zayn had officially decided to leave One Direction. Leading up to his departure, he missed important press appearances and he was even “taking a break” from their ongoing world tour due to stress. He didn’t look well. His already thin figure looked sickly in photos the paparazzi snapped shortly before he made his announcement.  These pictures could have easily made it seem like he was leaving the band due to a drug addiction rather than wanting to live a normal life.  None of us will know for sure if this has any credibility whatsoever because we soon saw him resurface as something brand new.

Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring 2015. Front row. Flanked by Kanye West and Joe Jonas. There he sat! The once reclusive and unhealthy boy was nowhere to be found. Instead, the public witnessed the early stages of a total image makeover with his solo appearance at fashion week. Choosing the fashion industry as a way to separate Zayn from the One Direction brand was an incredibly smart move for his PR team to make. Vogue.com thought so too as they wrote about his presence in a story shortly after the show. His new image could have been established a number of different ways depending on the public forum but the outcome would not have been as significant. Fashion establishes credibility and it makes one seem like they are in touch with what is new and influential on a level that sports or cars simply cannot compare. Zayn's strategic PR team chose fashion to recreate his image as one that demands respect across the board, even from Vogue.