If there’s one Hollywood rule that is nearly universal, it is that stars will almost always be late to anything – to dinners, to events, to interviews — and that even includes so-called “gifting lounges” where they get stuff free. Free!

Gifting lounges are nothing new at film festivals such TIFF, Sundance or Cannes or at big award shows (the value of past Oscar gift bags notoriously runs in the tens of thousands of dollars) but lately organizers have been doing more than just giving away items to create buzz around their venues. They look upon the lounges as “media hubs” where actors schedule press interviews, photo shoots and parties — not just as quick, down-and-dirty stops to grab free stuff.

We ventured over to Hollywood Life magazine’s gifting lounge at the Toronto International Film Festival to get an idea of why companies want to give their designer goods to stars (the answer is publicity) and if the added attention actually helps sell more products (that answer is yes).

“Our customers are looking to celebrities and seeing what they should wear and where they should shop. We’ve found a lot of success as a brand through courting celebrities and dressing celebrities and converting that directly into sales,” said Sarah Wetenhall, a spokeswoman for British-based French Connection (otherwise known as FCUK), one of the sponsors at the Hollywood Life House. 

So on the festival’s opening day, Hollywood Life House sponsors including Hamilton watches, Parasuco denim, Hennessy cognac and Miami Boutique Hotels, and a handful of Toronto television media were eagerly awaiting the fashionably-one-hour-late cast members of director Guy Ritchie’s “RocknRolla” with an eventual appearance of Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Toby Kebbell and Thandie Newton and a disappointing no-show from “Entourage” star Jeremy Piven.

Still, the sponsers say it is worth the wait, and eventually celebs do come around.

“From a hundred celebrities who pass through here, if two of them are caught wearing this, or are on the ‘cover of’ or ‘inside of’ (a magazine) that’s what it’s all about, ” said Parasuco spokeswoman Ida Mirijello.

Montreal-based Parasuco, famed for it’s rock-star embellished jeans and outfitting Bon Jovi’s latest world tour, also sponsors award shows such as the American Music Awards and Golden Globes, where “Desperate Housewives” star Nicollette Sheridan picked up a pair of “Rock Me Baby” jeans a couple years ago and showed them off on the Late Show with David Letterman.

“Here she is on the David Letterman show, blinging her butt to the world, that’s what it’s all about,” said Mirijello