Free People’s fall campaign features British singer-songwriter and actress Suki Waterhouse
Free People
Fashion retailers are investing heavily in celebrity partnerships for fall 2025 campaigns, with brands ranging from mass market to luxury, deploying star power to cut through an increasingly crowded marketplace.
It makes sense, as some data shows that celebrity endorsements on average generate a 4% increase in sales.
Free People is one such brand leaning into this approach with the launch of its fall collection, featuring British singer-songwriter and actress Suki Waterhouse at the center of a comprehensive campaign.
The collaboration coincides with Waterhouse’s international tour and represents a strategic evolution for the brand, which previously incorporated celebrity culture indirectly through collaborations like its 2023 Prime Video partnership for “Daisy Jones & The Six,” in which Waterhouse starred.
The current campaign extends across multiple touchpoints, from social media to TV advertising, marking Free People Collection’s first major foray into the latter medium.
The brand shot the campaign at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, featuring Waterhouse performing to her own track “On This Love” and following her creative process from backstage to stage.
Dakota Fanning for Madewell
Madewell
Contemporary denim retailer Madewell opted for a different celebrity strategy, partnering with actress Dakota Fanning for a limited-edition capsule that emphasized co-creation over pure endorsement and campaign imagery.
The collaboration produced two foundational pieces: a mid-rise straight-leg jean that retails for $178 and a crewneck tee ranging from $65 to $75, both featuring custom details explicitly developed for the partnership.
Different still is Everlane’s approach, which marked a strategic shift for the brand with its first celebrity-fronted campaign with jazz-pop artist Laufey.
Laufey for Everlane
Everlane
The brand’s “Laufey in Everland” campaign represents a departure from Everlane’s traditionally celebrity-free marketing approach, though the company has reported positive early results.
The fall 2025 campaign wave comes as retailers seek new ways to capture consumer attention in a fragmented media landscape. This strategy extends beyond traditional fashion advertising as well, with brands incorporating talent into broader content strategies.
Free People has developed Free People Sessions, a social video series featuring live performances, while timing campaigns to align with celebrities’ tour schedules and album releases. This approach allows brands to capitalize on fan engagement around their celebrity partners’ primary career activities.
As fashion retailers navigate an evolving media landscape and changing consumer preferences, celebrity partnerships offer a way to generate earned media attention while creating content that can be deployed across multiple marketing channels.
The fall 2025 campaigns suggest brands are moving beyond simple endorsement deals toward more integrated celebrity partnerships that incorporate co-creation, content development, and strategic timing around celebrities’ broader career activities.