Modern Memorabilia: How Celebs Are Redefining Merchandise
Move over t-shirts and posters—some stars are now offering unique, deeply personal souvenirs. Fans are spending big for the chance to feel closer to their favorite personalities.
But not everyone is comfortable with the direction this new celebrity economy is heading. The debate is intensifying as more stars explore unconventional merchandise opportunities.
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The Merchandise Revolution
Celebrity merchandise has undergone a dramatic transformation from simple branded products to intensely personal items that blur the lines between commerce and intimacy. Sydney Sweeney’s recent “Bathwater Bliss” soap collaboration with Dr. Squatch represents the latest evolution in this trend, where traditional celebrity endorsements have given way to products containing actual pieces of stars’ lives.
According to The Sun, Sweeney’s limited edition of 5,000 soap bars, each containing her actual bathwater and priced at $8, sold rapidly after launching in June 2025. The partnership emerged organically from fan requests following her provocative Dr. Squatch advertisement, demonstrating how social media feedback now directly influences celebrity product development.
This shift represents more than novelty—it’s a fundamental reimagining of how celebrities can monetize their personal brand. Traditional merchandise like t-shirts and posters created distance between stars and fans, while modern offerings eliminate that separation entirely by incorporating celebrities’ physical presence into the products themselves.
Beyond Traditional Boundaries
The expansion beyond conventional merchandise has created entirely new product categories. Former Page 3 model Katie Price announced plans to sell framed sets of used underwear for £350 each, specifically targeting collectors who want “authenticated” items from her glamour modeling career. When asked about cleaning the garments, Price suggested that buyers “might want them authenticated” in their original state.
The Kardashian family’s Kardashian Kloset represents a more mainstream approach to personal item sales. The sophisticated resale platform offers pieces directly from their personal wardrobes, ranging from casual wear to red carpet gowns. Run by Robert Kardashian Sr.’s first cousin, the site demonstrates how celebrity personal item sales can become legitimate family businesses.
According to Dexerto, fan reactions to these unconventional offerings have been overwhelmingly positive, with social media users expressing excitement and humor about celebrity personal item sales. Comments range from enthusiastic purchasing intentions to cultural commentary about modern fan relationships.
Digital Platforms Enable Innovation
The rise of direct-to-consumer platforms has revolutionized celebrity merchandising by eliminating traditional gatekeepers. OnlyFans, Patreon, eBay, and specialized resale websites allow stars to sell personal items directly to fans while maintaining complete control over pricing, production, and distribution strategies.
Former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona exemplifies this digital transformation. She joined OnlyFans in May 2020 during financial difficulties and has since built a profitable business selling content and personal items, including used underwear sets for up to £100 each. She charges £19 monthly for platform access and describes the experience as empowering for content creators.
YouTuber Trisha Paytas operates a Poshmark closet managed by her mother, selling both personal clothing and outfits featured in music videos and projects. The operation demonstrates how celebrity personal sales can become family enterprises spanning multiple generations and platforms.
The Psychology of Personal Connection
Relationship expert Dr. Annabelle Knight from Lovehoney explained that celebrity personal item purchases satisfy deep psychological needs for connection and intimacy. She described these transactions as creating “a feeling of intimacy, even if it’s one-sided,” comparing them to keeping meaningful personal mementos from romantic relationships.
The appeal encompasses multiple psychological factors beyond sexual attraction. Collector psychology, social status signaling, and parasocial relationship maintenance all contribute to demand for celebrity personal items. Many buyers view these purchases as ultimate collectibles representing exclusive access to celebrity lives unavailable through traditional fan interactions.
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Social media has intensified these desires by creating illusions of personal relationships between celebrities and fans. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer constant glimpses into stars’ private lives, making personal item purchases feel like natural extensions of existing emotional connections rather than commercial transactions.
Historical Context and Modern Innovation
Celebrity personal effects have always held special value, but modern technology has transformed their accessibility and commercial potential. Scarlett Johansson’s 2008 auction of a used tissue for over $6,523 (donated to charity) demonstrated early market potential for unusual celebrity items, predicting today’s more sophisticated offerings.
British influencer Belle Delphine pioneered the modern bathwater market in 2019, selling “Gamergirl Bath Water” for $30 per jar and earning $18,000 within three days. Her success proved significant demand existed for unconventional celebrity products and inspired subsequent offerings from mainstream celebrities seeking new revenue streams.
According to iHeart Radio, Sweeney’s decision represents a calculated response to fan demand rather than opportunistic exploitation. The actress noticed social media comments requesting bathwater and decided to fulfill that interest through a legitimate business partnership with established soap manufacturer Dr. Squatch.
Industry Expert Perspectives
Branding expert Nick Ede told The Sun that celebrities like Sweeney demonstrate sophisticated understanding of their public personas and fan relationships. He emphasized that modern celebrity culture revolves around direct fan engagement, making personal item sales strategically sound from marketing perspectives rather than desperate attempts at relevance.
Ede compared current trends to historical fan behaviors, noting they represent “a modern progression” of fans seeking intimate connections with celebrities. He referenced Gwyneth Paltrow’s controversial vagina-scented candle, which sold out immediately, as evidence that unusual celebrity products can achieve remarkable commercial success when properly positioned.
The expert suggested that platforms like OnlyFans have normalized intimate celebrity-fan transactions by giving content creators complete control over their offerings. This shift has made celebrity personal item sales feel more empowering and less exploitative than traditional entertainment industry arrangements involving multiple intermediaries.
Future Market Evolution
As the personal celebrity items market continues evolving, industry observers predict increased sophistication and technology integration. Virtual reality experiences, blockchain authentication, and AI-powered personalization may create entirely new categories of celebrity memorabilia that combine physical and digital elements.
The success of early adopters suggests strong consumer demand for authentic celebrity personal items that goes beyond curiosity or novelty. This market growth may attract more mainstream celebrities who previously avoided unconventional merchandising approaches, potentially expanding the industry significantly over the next several years.
Ede predicted that “we might see some other stars dipping their toes in things that aren’t just bath water” as the trend expands beyond current boundaries. The key to success appears to be maintaining authenticity while giving fans genuine access to celebrity lives in ways that feel both exclusive and attainable.
Whether this represents temporary cultural novelty or permanent transformation in celebrity commerce remains unclear, but early indicators suggest the modern memorabilia market will continue growing as celebrities and fans adapt to new possibilities in digital-age fan relationships that prioritize intimacy and direct access over traditional distance and mystique.
