Jessica Simpson and Ben Silverman on Fashion Star: "We Don't Have to Go Through the Terrible Designers to Get to the Great Ones"

On February 22, 2012, NBC held a press call with Jessica Simpson and executive producer Ben Silverman ahead of the March 13th premiere of Fashion Star, the network's new primetime competition in which emerging designers competed for the chance to have their clothes purchased — and sold immediately — by Macy's, H&M, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Simpson, who built the Jessica Simpson Collection into one of the most successful celebrity fashion brands in history, served as a mentor alongside Elle Macpherson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos. Premier Guide Miami was among the outlets on the call.

We don't have to go through the terrible designers to get to the great ones. We have 14 great designers and it's about picking the one that really has a vision and can be around for the next 20 or 30 years.

What makes Fashion Star different

Silverman was emphatic that the show had no real precedent on television: "It's really so unique, so distinct and like no show that's ever been on the air before — the immediate, accessible ability to not only buy the fashion, but the fashions are being designed with a consumer in mind, not just in a vacuum." He described the retail element as genuine game play: "These retailers are competing in a kind of game show environment to bid against each other to buy these fashions in real-time. This show is like no other show you've ever seen." On the manufacturing reality: "It's live to tape. We actually had to pre-shoot in order for us to be able to manufacture the clothes." Simpson added with a laugh: "I wasn't pregnant when we shot it. It will be amazing to see myself with a waistline."

Simpson on her role as a mentor

Simpson described her approach to mentoring as rooted in her own hard-won experience: "This part of fashion — the behind the scenes — has been my life for the past six, seven years. I really just wanted to be there and talk with the designers and make sure that they had a vision, that they listened to the buyers and what the buyers want." She was candid about the pressure of the role: "There are definite moments of surprise, moments of shock, moments of 'what the heck did you do,' and moments of 'I would have never thought of that.' I feel like it's on my shoulders if they took my idea and the buyers were like, 'No, you're eliminated.'" On what she looked for in the contestants: "It's about picking the designer that really has a vision and can be around for the next 20 or 30 years. It wasn't just about being creative — it's about being business savvy as well."

The biggest lesson from building her own collection

Asked about the most important thing she learned building the Jessica Simpson Collection, Simpson was direct: "At the beginning I thought everything that I wanted to create was right and that's what everybody should be wearing. But look — I don't wear flats, and I'm very, very pregnant, and it's my biggest selling shoe. So I had to give in and be like, 'Okay, 90% of America wears flats.' I really had to teach myself that it wasn't about everything that just I would wear." She also spoke about the unexpected scale of her success: "I never expected to do what I've done in the fashion world. We started off with accessories — I originally thought I was just going to do shoes and handbags. With the success of that it just gives you more and more opportunities. The sky's the limit."

On working with Elle Macpherson — and what happens the night a show airs

Simpson was effusive about her fellow mentor: "Elle was amazing to work with. She's such a beauty icon — stunning to watch — but she has just a great presence and she's a very professional person. She's launched a really successful line of her own and she's been in the business for so long. I created a great relationship with Elle and I think people are going to love her fashion, love everything that she wears." Silverman added: "She's also super creative and she brought a lot of creativity and insight as we were building the show." On the retail mechanics: "Night of, the clothes will be available for sale online, and then next day in store. The final winner who wins a capsule collection in all three stores will be in hundreds of retail outlets across all three chains." Fashion Star premiered Tuesday, March 13, 2012, at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.

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