Poseurs

Who’s paid and who’s not? The practice of exploiting celebs for the purposes of adding publicity value and cache to a commercial promotion has turned into a fine art. (It falls into the same category as doling out valuable goodie bags at paparazzi-laden events like the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys.)

Louis Vuitton, the “LV” in LVMH, the world’s preeminent purveyor of luxury goods, held a doozie in Paris recently that was chronicled in today’s New York Times. What was no more than a store opening, albeit the largest Louis Vuitton store in the world, drew A-listers like Thurman, Stone, Hayek, Deneuve, Ryder. (Well, maybe not Ryder.)

For the layperson reading the glossies, it’s less apparent that these media magnets cut deals to be paid in clothes, handbags, jewelry, champagne and/or cash. Even Paris Hilton boasted that she commands $300K to just show up. William Morris, CAA and ICM all have booming practices specializing in this brand of PR payola.

As Times scribe Eric Wilson reports: “No expense was spared to promote the opening of this latest temple of luxury… The number floating around the store among guests that night for the cost of the two-year renovation and the two-day opening festivities topped $50 million.”

I wonder how much of that went to the bold-named faces who attended?