Mia Farrow models for Gap

When it comes to the business of being a business, celebrity endorsement is nothing new. Since the turn of the last century, the famous and infamous have lent their celebrity to almost every type of product imaginable. The symbiotic relationship between those with something to sell, and those willing to do some of the selling – for the right price – was set in stone long before film stars, heart throbs, sports gods and pin ups began to plug, pimp and profit.

But it’s only in recent years that celebrities have begun infiltrating territory previously accessible only to the long-legged and chisel-cheeked: modeling.

The celebrity-as-model trend can be traced back to the 1990s, with groundbreaking ads for American brand Gap. Designers dressing glamorous stars for public events had been the norm, but this was the first time that a mid-range brand had capitalized on a non-model’s fanbase by using them as a model for their garments.

Devising the star-based marketing strategies that they still use to this day, Gap capitalised on the cool factor of underground icons such as Mia Farrow, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Suzanne Vega and John Galliano, by featuring them in their famed ‘Individuals Of Style’ campaign.

The approach soon crossed over to similarly positioned fashion brands like H&M and Mango, and it soon became apparent that a celebrity model, whether of modelesque proportions or not, could garner a fashion label the kind of free publicity that would otherwise only be achieved via extensive and expensive ad campaigns.

With the obvious commercial advantages that celebrity campaigns presented, labels from the mass market and upwards to designer labels and couture houses began to embrace their inner fame-whore, eschewing professional models to book famous folk for campaigns.

It’s no coincidence, then that the popularity of celebrity campaigns has increased directly in proportion to the decline of the Supermodel. With only a handful of models like Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen achieving ‘household name’ levels of fame, it would appear that the 1990s glory days of the supermodel are over.

Jessica Biel graces the cover of US Vogue

Within in the ailing magazine industry, superstar wattage simply equals units sold. Anna Wintour, the she-bobbed Editor In Chief of Vogue, admitted to this in an article for The New York Times last year. “Until models become celebrities again in their own right,” she stated, “I can’t see them selling as well on magazine covers as actresses.”

A recent roll call of Vogue’s top international editions illustrates the importance of celebrities to Wintour and American Vogue. Bona fide supermodels Daria Werbowy and Rose Cordero have featured on the cover of fashion bible Vogue Paris in 2010, while edgy model Karlie Kloss has graced the avant-garde Vogue Italia, as have models Agyness Deyn and Jamie Bochert, and fashionista Daphne Guiness. Their US counterpart, however, has awarded the coveted cover-girl spot to three non-models in the first quarter of 2010 – emerging actresses Rachel McAdams and Jessica Biel, and actor/comedian Tina Fey.

Nowadays, at the newsstand, you’d be hard pressed to differentiate the Vogues, W’s and Harpers’ from the InStyle’s and Vanity Fairs at first glance, with traditional fashion press succumbing more and more frequently to the publicity junket whirlwind of actresses, singers and starlets.

Inside the cover is no different, with an increasing number of familiar faces carrying high-profile ad campaigns. Marc Jacobs, in the same New York Times article, sympathized with the models’ diminishing opportunities. “It’s a difficult time for [them],” he explained. “The whole idea of supermodels came in a pop culture when actresses weren’t that interesting. Now Hollywood is filled with young actresses, and there is digital technology to make them look good.”

Jacobs himself has flirted with blurring the lines between fame and fashion, selecting filmmaker Sofia Coppola as the face of his fragrance, featuring Victoria Beckham tumbling memorably out of a gigantic Marc Jacobs tote for his Spring/Summer 2008 campaign, and for his recent Madonna campaign as the creative head of Louis Vuitton.

Jacobs is in good company, with a raft of top design houses hiring actresses, singers and starlets for their most high-profile campaigns. Karl Lagerfeld has depended on pop star Lily Allen for his Chanel Coco Cocoon Bag range, and on actresses Keira Knightley and Nicole Kidman for Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle and No. 5 fragrances.

Lindsay Lohan and Katie Holmes have fronted seasons for Miu Miu, both during the height of their tabloid popularity.

Model-turned-actress Charlize Theron was courted by Dior’s John Galliano, replacing model Tiiu Kuik as the face of J’Adore perfume, and wearing many of Galliano’s couture creations on the red carpet. More recently, Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard featured in noirish campaign for the Lady Dior handbag.

James Franco's campaign for Gucci

Currently, American actress Eva Mendes has been greased up for her second Calvin Klein campaign, Harry Potter’s Emma Watson is the fresh face of young Britannia for Burberry, and Pamela Anderson is the surprising new muse for Vivienne Westwood.

Male stars have been just as appealing, with handsome actors James Franco for Gucci and Jude Law for Dior this year, while less convential public figures have also had the opportunity to step in front of the fashion lens; a recent collaboration between Louis Vuitton and celebrity snapper Annie Leibowitz, resulted in Mikhail Gorbachev, Keith Richards, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and sporting couple Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf all advertising the luxury brand.

Recent rumblings within sections of the fashion industry about the vanishing line between the celebrities and fashion indicate that the saturation of celebrity campaigns may soon come to an end. So what does this mean for the future of high-profile fashion campaigns?

If the last year is anything to go by, it may mean a return to the supermodel peak of the 1990s, until the next wave of models are able to gain a foothold within wider pop culture.

It seems natural that after an era of exhausting celebrity access, that fashion would return to the glamazons of the past who kept us rapt with their confidence, unattainable glamour, rock star boyfriends, and defining fashion images.

It’s unclear whether or not Linda Evangelista still requires her $10k a day, but if so, Prada have obliged, booking her for Winter-Fall 2009. Similarly recent ads featuring Claudia Schiffer (Salvatore Ferragamo and Chanel), Naomi Campbell (Yves Saint-Laurent), Eva Herzigova (Roberto Cavalli), and Christy Turlington (Escada) that icons of decades past are still able to offer the fashion world the star power, fashion credibility and timeless beauty that it needs.