Pro-bono vs. "Free-Stuff"

During a recent conversation with a certain well-known stylist the subject of me not willing to dress celebrities came up yet again. I feel as if I am always defending my position on this subject over and over again. Therefore, I am going to use today’s post to set the record straight once and for all… And then, can we move on???


Click photo to read full article - I can't believe it has been almost two years and people are still talking about this article...

I am NOT opposed to dressing celebrities. I am not even opposed to dressing “certain” celebrity clients’ pro-bono (I believe someone should also explain to celebrities the difference between pro-bono and “free-stuff”). This particular celebrity client however would have to be someone that I respect and admire as well as someone that fits the Mal Sirrah’s design aesthetic and philosophy. I personally believe that when a designer dresses a high profile “customer” it symbolizes and says to the world this individual embodies and embraces our brand. These days however this sort of synergy is very rarely the case with the exception of stars like Renee Zellweger, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and a few others. I truly do believe that this is also why these women are “true” style icons.

Renee Zellweger - Faithful to Carolina Herrera

Listen, I would be a fool if I said I didn't understand what celebrity attention can do for a designer just starting out in this business. Hell, my very own career was launched by one of the biggest stars on the planet - MADONNA. The one lesson we have all universally learned is "Never bite the hand that feeds you." And I guess that's just it - I am not looking to celebrities to feed me. I am looking to create a loyal and satisfied client base of "real" women leading "real" lives.

Madonna launched the career of Malcolm Harris - However " real women" will sustain the dream of Mal Sirrah

That being said, what I am NOT WILLING to do is to dress every fly-by-night starlet and/or reality television star that believes she is entitled to “free-stuff”. There is absolutely nothing that excites me as an artist or designer about dressing one of these nymphets as she strolls down the red carpet towards the end of her 15 minutes of pseudo-fame. Lucky for these PYT’s there are a host of other designers waiting in the wings to plop one of their ill-fitted samples on them in exchange for hopefully hitting the mother-load of free publicity - Us Magazine’s “Who WHORE It Best”. Just kidding… Lighten up…

Nymphet vs Starlet

To be quite honest, there are some celebrities that I absolutely adore and admire. Just to name a few: Alicia Keys, Ashley Judd, Reese Witherspoon, Kerri Washington, Angelina Jolie, Scarlette Johansen, Chloe Sevingy, and Angie Harmon. I guess I simply like women who are more than just a pretty face.

Tilda Swinton - She truly does follow her own drum - Hit or Miss it's always 100% Tilda

Speaking of celebrity women I absolutely adore, I would really like to congratulate Tilda Swinton on her Oscar win on Sunday evening. Tilda and I share a really dear friend in common and I have for several seasons been intending on designing a dress for Ms. Swinton. That being said and after witnessing her questionable choice of Oscar gown, I wished I would have pushed to design an evening gown for Tilda sooner. However, immediately after Tilda’s Oscar win on Sunday, my team and I began designing a version of the dress below for Ms. Swinton - - - Pro-bono!!!

Mal Sirrah original recently featured in Thirteen Magazine