THE question was recently posed to E! Online’s Answer B!tch inbox and the answer was quite simple.

Yes, celebrities do get paid a fee to appear at the shows during New York Fashion Week, get extra for appearing in the designer’s clothes, more to appear on the red carpet in said clothes, and even more to say nice things about the designs to the press. You get the idea.

In fact, Fashionista recently published a list of celebrities that have been paid to seat their pretty derrieres in the front row of the runway, with Rihanna topping the lost for US$100,000 or more for her highness to grace the catwalk aisles.

Beyonce, reportedly, is open to negotiation, commanding between US$80,000 and US$100,000 to be photographed at the show.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who are apparently still hot property, fall into the US$80,000 range as well.

“These are all separate deals,” said veteran fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone.

“Some fashion houses buy a celebrity for a year. In the contract, it may outline five to seven things the star will do, like wear a designer to an awards show or premier, or give the designer a nod in an interview.”

“It’s like dim-sum,” joked Cutrone. “It makes t very easy, like, ‘Are we gonna buy six things, or a one-off deal?’”

And what’s the average one-off deal?

Cutrone confirms the top star fees hover around six figures, some as high as US$200,000. Smaller stars, or easier deals, may cost as little as US$10,000.

But that’s not to say every star you see during Fashion Week is a money-hungry poser. Some stars are actually friends and fans of the designers.

Wondering who’s on the list? Here goes:

A-List

  • Rihanna ($100,000 or more)
  • Beyonce ($80,000-$100,000)
  • Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ($80,000 each)
  • Julianne Moore ($60,000)
  • Maggie Gyllanhal ($60,000)
  • Chloe Sevigny ($60,000 or more)
  • Jennifer Lopez (circa 2005: $80,000; circa 2010: $30,000)
  • Lindsay Lohan (circa 2006: $60,000; circa 2010: UNINVITED)
  • Colin Firth (pre-A Single Man: $5,000; post-A Single Man: $15,000)

B-List

  • Blake Lively ($50,000)
  • Leighton Meester ($40,000)
  • Hillary Duff ($40,000)
  • Other Gossip Girl cast members ($25,000 a piece)
  • Jared Leto ($25,000)
  • Cliven Owen ($10,000)
  • Kristen Bell (unpaid, but airfare, makeup and clothing are taken care of)

C-List

  • Kim Kardashian ($35,000-$50,000)
  • Amanda Bynes ($25,000-$30,000)
  • Eliza Dushku (unpaid, but airfare, makeup and clothing are taken care of)

D-List

  • Paris Hilton (free or UNINVITED)
  • Jersey Shore cast (UNINVITED)
  • America’s Next Top Model Winners (free)

Love celebrity gossip, music and trivia? Get the latest entertainment! Join our newsletter: