Photo: REX USA/PIXELFORMULA.In Kanye West's 2010 aural assault known as "Monster," the rapper rounds out his first verse with the line: "My presence is a present." Sure, it's cocky and lil' bit off-putting, but it's true. And, it's not just Yeezy who's raking in the big bucks just for existing.
Reports revealing how much celebrities are paid just to sit front row and pose for the cameras during Fashion Week have begun to circle the Internet, and the stats are annoyingly fascinating. Jessica Chastain is said to have been gifted a cool $80K just to stand in front of some lenses at an Armani Privé show. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian's front-row rate is $50K. But, that's just chump change. Rihanna's the one who's counting Benjamins all the way home.
The Huffington Post reports that RiRi gets paid upwards of $100,000 to attend fashion shows. That's $100K just to, you know, sit. Like, she must be a really great sitter or something to be paid that much money for her pop star tush to rest on a designer's bench.
In all fairness (if you can call it that), these PR-moves pay off in more than pretty pennies for a brand. The Telegraph brings up a solid point in that a designer's name has more reach, and therefore the potential for more profitability, if someone with as much social pull as Rihanna is photographed sitting front row at a fashion show. Stats on whether the tactic works or not haven't been released, though. But, most people who can afford designers like Chanel or Dior don't necessarily need to see a celebrity sporting the luxury logo to convince them to buy it. If anything, it plants the seed in the general public's mind to strive to own a designer item. Look no further than this humble author for proof: I once bought an oversized jacket because one time Rihanna said oversized jackets should be a staple in any wardrobe. Thanks, Rihanna...? (The Gloss)