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Public relations is an important marketing component for nearly any company or product, but when it comes to fashion, beauty or style, an effective PR campaign is not an option, it’s a necessity. Think about it, fashion and style is directly linked in our culture with celebrity and fame. When Entertainment Tonight or In Style feature the latest singing sensation or movie star, it’s not just the person who is being spotlighted it’s also what he or she is wearing including what bag, jewelry, blouse, pants, skirt, scarf or coat they are sporting at the time.

When Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt prance down the red carpet, they’re not the only ones being scrutinized, the magnifying glass is also on their shoes, their blouse, the sunglasses – everything they are wearing is now suddenly in the grip of the star making machine. A fashion designer we were working with had one of her designs worn by Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson in the same week. That opened the door to the People magazines and In Style’s of the world. That is a definite plus. As a designer you want celebrities to wear your clothing. It helps media-wise, there is no doubt about that. But a mistake that designers often make is that they place their primary focus on chasing down celebrities and celebrity stylists thinking that the only way to establish themselves in the world of fashion is to get the latest A, B, C (and if all else fails) D-list celebrity to wear their designs.

As I mentioned, that helps, but your primary job is not to chase down Hollywood’s latest flavor of the month. Your job is to create the best fashions you can. You want to develop a line that the public reacts to. The bottom line is you want your creations to be your star, not the celebrity that wears them. So, how do you do this?

Here’s your exercise, forget (for a bit) that celebrities exist. Put aside your desire to have the latest celeb wear your designs. For now, that approach is off the table. Now, what are your stories? What makes your designs special? Who are they created for? What are some ways that they can be used or worn that is a bit different? What are some interesting visuals that can be used when pitching your fashion story? Is there a story that has to do with how your fashions are made? Are unique materials used? Keep drilling down this way. Focus on what makes your designs unique, different or what makes them perfect for a certain target market.

Now what about you? What makes your story interesting? What was your journey to become a designer? What obstacles did you have to overcome? How was your life changed by your decision to enter the world of fashion? Realize that your journey and your transformation offers you a wealth of media pitches and approaches.

So, you now have a number of media pitches, stories and hooks that you can present to various media outlets that don’t have a thing to do with celebrities. Using this approach, you and your fashions are the stars. This is the approach I suggest focusing on. Then, after you’ve made your splash and established yourself through the media as a hot designer, maybe, just maybe you’ll let one of those celebrities wear them.