Rachel Bilson to be Face of Designer Sunglasses Store

While actress Rachel Bilson doesn’t appear to be doing anything since The O.C. ended a few years ago, she recently became the ”eyewear ambassador” for Sunglass Hut, the chain store for designer sunglasses. Bilson admittedly has a strong attachment to sunglasses, particularly the wayfarer style in recent photos, and having her as a celebrity face for the brand seems inevitable. Given the title “style director,” Bilson will be doing public appearances, ad campaigns, blogging, and answering questions through the Sunglass Hut website. But, with so many celebrities deciding to get involved in fashion, does this actually seem like a good idea?

While Bilson just appears to be popping up on television and a few independent films since leaving The O.C., being the face of Sunglass Hut gives her something to do. And, unlike other celebrity fashion forays, she’s simply a face – no style input at this point. If there was anything to learn from the Lindsay Lohan-Ungaro debacle, it’s that celebrities, no matter how famous, aren’t fashion designers. In the case of Ungaro’s failure, they may make your clothing line into something resembling a club wear-stripper gear hybrid. But, as far as being a model for the brand is concerned, how difficult is posing for some ads and attending a few store openings?

Designer sunglasses, on the other hand, don’t need the same type of boost that the fragrance industry needs. With campaigns like One Mighty Drop, the industry is looking to build itself a bigger audience, although recently-publicized fragrance bans could be a blow to any efforts. But, with summer approaching, it’s time to purchase a new pair of sunglasses, and designer brands are always preferred. No matter if a celebrity like Rachel Bilson influences you into purchasing some Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses or you decide for a different style, it’s the time of year in which eye protection is necessary.