Shop Like A VIP

Forbes.com is running an article about the way the rich and famous shop. How To Shop Like A VIP gives you a glimpse into the world of the pampered set.

A person who makes millions of dollars a year has different fashion taste than the everyday person, says Hitha Prabhakar, a celebrity stylist for MTV and a personal shopper.

While most people buy their wardrobes off the rack, celebrities, the uber-rich and those "in the know" are showered with special shopping perks.

Stylists or personal shoppers do the legwork for them, they are offered first dibs on the newest designer collections, allowed to browse the racks after-hours, have clothing delivered to their hotels and get personal attention from the designers themselves. And despite the fact that it's this select group who can actually afford to pay for the most desirable duds, they usually don't.

"It's kind of like VIP entitlement," says Prabhakar. "The attitude is, 'We want it for free,' or, 'We want it for less.' "

Put Lindsay Lohan or the Olsen twins into a designer's latest T-shirt and watch the line sell out. It's a power not too many people have.

Celebrities and the well-heeled can be inundated by paparazzi and fans, so it makes sense for stores and designers to offer personal and private services.

VIP shopping status isn't limited to paparazzi-plagued stars. The circle includes other influential people such as editors of well-known magazines, stylists or anyone with clout in the fashion industry. And let's not forget the friends and family of all of these people. You can have it, too, by working the right connections, shelling out for a personal shopper who has relationships with designers, considering a career related to fashion, or just plain getting lucky.