Baby Steps Lead to Big Sales in Infant Apparel

By Elise Hacking Carr

There's a new epidemic spreading throughout Hollywood—many celebrities have caught baby fever (and to the best of my knowledge this has nothing to do with 50 Shades of Grey). Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kourtney Kardashian, Megan Fox, Anna Paquin, Melissa Joan Hart, Drew Barrymore, Tori Spelling (yes, her youngest child is only five months old), Snooki ("celebrity" is a term best used loosely), Uma Thurman, Sienna Miller, Molly Sims and Alyson Hannigan all fall under the "with child" category.

Other celebrities have already delivered their new bundles of joy. Who can forget the arrival of Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of Beyoncé and Jay Z? Actually, in Hollywood time, that's so five years ago. I, personally, have moved on to Jessica Simpson. After what seemed like a two-year pregnancy, on May 1, Simpson finally gave birth to daughter Maxwell Drew. Don't worry, that's not slowing down Simpson's business deals. Almost two weeks later, she announced the expansion of her fashion empire. This Fall, Simpson will launch a full line of maternity apparel through an exclusive licensing agreement between Camuto Group (the licensee behind the Jessica Simpson® Collection) and Destination Maternity, a leading maternity apparel retailer.

According to MarketWatch, the collection is aimed at the "modern mom-to-be who wants to maintain her fashion edge throughout her pregnancy." The collection will have a vintage '70s vibe that will make use of mixing patterns and textures (see my blog about the Kardashian Kollection) and will feature signature denim, print tops, flowing maxis, form-fitting jersey knit dresses and more.

Now, think back to the Nick Lachey days where Jessica Simpson sang songs and had a hit reality TV show. It wasn't difficult to make her the punchline of almost every joke. Maybe when little Maxwell Drew starts to speak she can explain to her mother what Chicken of the Sea is (but then again, Simpson was in talks with Chicken of the Sea to become its spokeswoman, so ... bad joke). The point is Simpson has had the last laugh. She made Forbes' Celebrity 100 "Ones to Watch" list this year, with annual earnings estimated at $14 million thanks to brand licensing deals and her new gig on NBC's Fashion Star.