Round-up of celebrity fashion lines: Kardashians down, Simpson up

The fashion industry is rife with celebrity-turned-designers these days, many of whom are criticized for an obvious lack of talent and simply use their existing fan base to sell their products. Yet a lucky few, such as the Olsen twins and Victoria Beckham, have garnered respect for their designs. Here's a roundup of the good and the bad when it comes to celeb clothing lines this week.

The Bad:

The Kardashian sisters for Bebe: On Wednesday at Bebe's Beverly Center location in Los Angeles, Bebe presented the latest collection designed by the Kardashian trio- Kim, Khloe and Kourtney: a 15-piece resort collection priced between $119 (90 euros) to $129 (97 euros) that is slated to hit stores next week. Bebe president Emilia Fabricant wasn't exactly enamored with the results and told Women's Wear Daily that the collaboration, which will fete its one-year anniversary in February, could soon end: "The sisters do still have relevance, but at Bebe we need to move with fashion and we want to be first in the fashion world with everybody else and not fall behind. We are definitely assessing the situation." To add injury to the insult, the Kardashians' just-launched New York boutique Dash was giving a scathing review on December 8 by The New York Times. Reviewer John Caramanica likened shopping there to allowing a five-year-old to be your stylist, adding: "Dash is a fashion desert, just oodles of drippy cowl necks and embellished cap sleeves and synthetic fibers."

Shop Kardashians by Bebe collection here: http://www.bebe.com

The Good:

Jessica Simpson: On Tuesday, various media reported that American singer Jessica Simpson's fashion empire is projected to rise from its current $750 million (566 million euros) to $1 billion in 2011. Women's Wear Daily called her "fashion's billion-dollar baby." The blond Texan designs items across some 22 categories, including shoes, accessories, denim, swimwear, watches and fragrances that are carried by 650 department stores. Her astounding success is leading her to expand her brand even further. Simpson will launch a juniors contemporary sportswear line of stylish separates - including jackets, bottoms, tops and dresses priced from $39 (29 euros) to $129 (97 euros) - slated to hit stores during fall 2011. Vince Camuto, founder and CEO of Camuto Group, the main licensee for Simpson-branded merchandise, credits the success of her fashion business to her girl-next-door approachability. "People like her," he told Women's Wear Daily. "People look at her as a style icon."

Shop the Jessica Simpson collection here: http://www.jessicasimpsoncollection.com/