The Tag That Could Pay the Rent: Why Celebs Keep Ghosting Independent Designers

You Love Our Looks But Can’t Drop a Tag? That’s Weak.

Kylie Jenner wearing Vettese

Yo, let’s cut the polite talk and get real because once again, fashion's out here playing dumb like we don’t see what’s happening. Real talk: the fashion industry’s out here acting unwise, hyping “new talent” like it’s serving looks, but when it’s time to actually stan indie designers, they’re ghosting harder than your situationship after a shady Snap.

Business of Fashion wants to know “Has Fashion Given Up on Emerging Designers?” and had me gagged for a hot minute until I clocked they’re dodging. Cute question, but let’s be honest: It ain’t just the fashion houses ghosting indie talent. It’s the dang celebrities too.

They love to wear indie designers like walking Pinterest boards but when it’s time to drop a simple tag? Suddenly everybody got amnesia. A tag ain't just clout. A tag is rent. A tag is groceries. A tag is survival. You love the fit but not enough to name the creator? That’s weak. And your silence costs people everything.

I'm back to rally the squad to fix this mess. You gotta be joking if you think we’re letting this slide. Let’s get into it.

The No-Tag Hall of Shame

Let’s start with the NFL elite since y’all think I won’t name names.

Justin "Jets" Jefferson. Dude, you know we ride for you. Style at the Met Gala this year? Top tier sharp. Game-day drip? Always flexing. But where's the love? You leave fans gasping and where's that? Not a single tag for the designer. The caption? “Like that 🔥” Sometimes you feel like tagging the content creator but my guy. Where's the appreciation for the artist or stylist who poured hours into your fit? Invisible.

And Jefferson ain’t alone.

Clairo wearing custom Claire Sullivan

Celebs like Kylie Jenner and Clairo are out here rocking Vettese and Miss Claire Sullivan’s handcrafted couture like it’s a second skin, but when it’s time to tag the one-woman show who stayed up nights beading that gown? Dead silence. A viral moment might have NFL Style or Complex doing FBI-level sleuthing, but it shouldn’t be this hard to give props. These designers ain’t Tom Ford with red-carpet clout on lock and a designer should get their flowers.

What’s the deal? Freebies got y’all acting entitled? Or you just too bougie to type “@”? Whatever the vibe, it’s screwing over indie designers especially who deserve better and let’s not pretend it's some accident. Y’all tag the glam squad, the hairstylist, your dog's Insta but skip the person who made the actual garment? Nah. That’s called intentional. When your platform’s as big as Addison Rae's, skipping a tag isn’t a fumble, it’s a betrayal of community.

The Gratitude Trap: Why Indie Designers Stay Quiet

Now let’s talk about the game behind the game.

Designers are scared to speak up because they're taught to feel lucky for even being worn. You finally get a celeb in your piece and your heart’s racing.“Maybe they’ll post me. Maybe I shouldn’t push for a contract. Maybe I don’t want to look difficult.” STOP.

This industry banks on your silence. They know most indie designers can’t afford to risk losing that celebrity co-sign.But while you're waiting for crumbs, your business stays invisible.

A tag isn’t a handout. It’s a lifeline. It leads to buyers. It leads to orders. It leads to survival. Without it? The same designers keeping this industry fresh are forced to live design-to-design, hoping the next unpaid opportunity "opens doors." Spoiler alert: it usually doesn’t.

“The same celebrities who refuse to tag you, will pay the high-end brands and tag them 10 times! Be wise!”Veekee James advises upcoming designers who want to work with celebrities.

She says, “Once anyone comes to you with, “Do you want money or a tag? You better run!

I've had so many of your faves both in this country and abroad; use that phrase with me, and that was it! It just shows no respect." Ms. James ain't wrong.

Project Runway: The Couture Coliseum

Reality TV ain’t innocent either and it taught designers drama and struggle is "OK".

Project Runway sells itself as fashion’s big break: mentorships, prize money, Fashion Week slots, design tools, magazine features, marketing. Sounds dreamy, right?

Yea, until you read the fine print.

The production company snatches 10% of your professional career — for life. You know how wild that is? They own part of your success whether they help you or not. Forever.

And let’s be real: who actually made it? Christian Siriano. Period. Meanwhile, absolute masters like Kini Zamora, whose beadwork could shut down Paris, are still out here grinding for scraps of notoriety.

Why? Because the show isn’t about nurturing designers. It’s about creating reality TV drama. Producers fuel fights, create villains, twist narratives. The ones who deliver quiet excellence? Get buried in the edit. The whole thing’s a couture coliseum and we, the viewers, keep cheering for the lions while designers bleed for entertainment.

The PNW Has Heat But No Spotlight...Yet

While BOF whines about LVMH's tight wallets, let’s talk about the indie royalty right here in the Pacific Northwest who deserve shine:

Dress by Walace Style

Walace Style

A couture king whose gowns could make a Met Gala carpet cry. Every bead, every drape is a love letter to craftsmanship, yet he’s living design-to-design. This man should be dressing Zendaya, not praying to be discovered.

Anatome

Bags that rival Chanel in craftsmanship, each piece is a story, hand-stitched with soul, but without a celeb tag, they’re fighting for recognition.

DWC Collection

DWC Collection (Deyontè Weather)

High-fashion ready-to-wear that’s bold, urban, and luxurious. Deyontè’s Style is Elemental showcase at Bellevue Square was a vibe, but without consistent shoutouts, he’s stuck in the shadows.

Fabricio Melo

Master of fibers and textures, blending comfort with conceptual art. He should be a household name.

JESUIS APPAREL

Flipping masculinity and femininity with a patterned denim twists, they're redefining gender-bending couture and PNW streetwear. This visionary doesn’t just design. They build movements.

They’re not begging for charity. They’re asking for visibility, and all it would take is one tag. One post. One name drop to shift their entire trajectory.

The Gratitude Trap: When “Lucky” Keeps You Silent

Here’s the gut punch: too many indie designers are trapped in a cycle of gratitude. You pour your heart into a custom piece for a star like DK Metcalf, and when it hits Instagram, you’re thrilled they wore it. Asking for a tag? A contract? Feels like risking it all. I’ve been there—heart pounding, thinking, “They chose MY work!” and too scared to demand credit.

This isn’t humility; it’s a setup. The industry banks on designers feeling “lucky” to stay quiet. But a tag isn’t a favor, it’s a lifeline. It’s marketing they can’t afford, exposure they can’t buy. When celebs skip it, they’re not just forgetting a name. They’re withholding a future. Look at Claire Sullivan or Grace Ling—they’re breaking through because they’re strategic, not just talented. Contracts are life, and it’s time designers demand them.

The Fix: Tag Up or Shut Up

This isn’t just shade. It’s a full-blown call to action.

For Indie Designers:

• Write contracts.

• Require credits in advance.

• Make tags non-negotiable.

• Post your receipts publicly. Visibility is leverage.

For Celebs & Athletes:

• Drop the damn tag.

• You know exactly who made your fit. Use your platform to elevate, not just flex.

For Fans & Community:

• Be loud.

• See a fit without a tag? Ask. Post. Share. Uplift indie brands like Anatome, Walace Style, DWC, Gabe Gordon, and LeBlancStudios.

For Stylists & Journalists:

• Stop writing “custom” without saying who customized it. Do your job.

• Elevate indie names like you do legacy brands.

For Viewers:

• Demand better. Stop watching reality TV that chews up real talent for ratings. Support platforms that nurture, not exploit.

The Revolution Is Personal

Here’s the part BOF didn’t say:If we keep ghosting indie designers today, in 10-20 years there won’t be a next generation.Fashion’s creative middle class will collapse and all that’s left will be conglomerate fast fashion and watered-down luxury.

That’s not a future I want and neither should you.

You love the look? Then love the maker. Drop the tag. Share the credit. Build the community. Change the game.

I said what I said.

Shealene, still here, hoops in, voice raised, and calling the industry out to check themselves. Always.