Mischa Barton wore fake Chanel on 'The O.C.'
Mischa Barton
Mischa's character Marissa Cooper was renowned for her designer style, however the show's fashion budget tiny in the beginning and Mischa, 32, often graced the screen in fake designer goods.
Costume designer Alexandra Welker told Page Six: "It was a challenge because everything had to look super high-end.
"There was absolutely no borrowing [from brands] involved either, because nobody had ever heard of us, so they were very leery of loaning anything.
"I'll be honest: Those Chanel bags that she carried, those weren't something I could have on my budget. But I found this amazing store in Downtown LA that sold the best-looking fakes I'd ever seen! So we used some really, really good knockoffs."
The show, which ran from 2003 to 2007, followed a group of wealthy teenagers in Southern California's Orange County and the Chanel boy bag, which Marissa used as a book bag, cost approximately $1650 at the time.
Alexandra said: "People got really worked up over that Chanel book bag; they thought that the idea of a teenage carrying one to school was obscene!"
Alexandra recalls trying to raise money before the show had aired and being turned down by every designer she asked.
She said: "In the pilot, I remember we did a fashion fundraiser...I called every designer out there to explain what we were doing and who I was, and they all turned me down.
"So for those runway looks, we used everything from sale-rack clothes to things from costume houses to things I'd designed myself."
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