One way fashion benefits from writers strike? More celebs in the front row

The Grey’s Anatomy stars seem to have been the first to confirm their fashion show attendance. We’ve already reported that Chandra Wilson and Sara Ramirez will be at the Angel Sanchez show, and now Ellen Pompeo is reported to be showing up for Y-3 after attending Giorgio Armani Prive in Paris last week. She is seen at the SAG awards at left in a Nina Ricci creation she supposedly picked from the pages of Vogue magazine.

It seems that many celebrities are looking to supplement incomes affected by the writer’s strike, either asking flat out for money, flights, and hotels in return for attending shows or even saying they’ll only attend if they can get a contract for an ad campaign.

“Gone are the days when celebrities came to the shows in exchange for a wardrobe,” Alison Brod, of Alison Brod Public Relations, said to WWD. “They want to make money.”

Lori Levine, of talent booking firm Flying Television, told WWD that Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen and Narciso Rodriguez are always popular with celebs. She expects stars with strong relationships with designers – like Jessica Simpson at Michael Kors, Claire Danes at Narciso Rodriguez and Teri Hatcher at Badgley Mischka, to be out en force.