A new Web site could carry America’s fascination with celebrities and the art of product placement on TV to dizzying levels.
The site, StarStyle, allows fans of shows including “American Idol” and “What I Like About You” to buy clothing, furniture and other items they see on the programs, New York-based Entertainment Media Works said Monday.
StarStyle has deals with companies including Sony, Warner Bros., ABC, Procter & Gamble and FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, the producers of “American Idol,” said Entertainment Media Works Chairman Jim Rosenfield.
Daytime serials including “As the World Turns,” “Guiding Light” and “The Young and the Restless” also will play a role on StarStyle.
Retail partners announced by Entertainment Media Works include Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Brooks Brothers, Gap, Old Navy, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble.
“For consumers, StarStyle is like a department store for their favorite TV shows and films, but without having to leave the house,” Rosenfield, a former CBS executive, said in a statement Monday, the day the site launched.
The site allows visitors to shop by show, product category or brand name. They can pick a character on a featured TV show and StarStyle will display associated products that can be purchased through links to other online sites.
Virtual “set tours” will allow users to click on products for their descriptions and potential purchase, according to Entertainment Media Works.
“You like the couch that people are arguing on on ’Real World,’ you can buy it,” said a company spokesman.
A section dubbed the Salon offers fashion news and tips, and podcasts will feature interviews with insiders such as Kara Saun, a “Project Runway” runner-up and costume designer for “What I Like About You.”