The never-ending rise of brands owned by celebrities

"The last thing the world needs is another beauty brand, but that's too bad." With these words, Lady Gaga introduced Haus Laboratories, her debut in the world of cosmetics. The singer ironically referred to the fact that in recent years there have been so many brands, especially of skincare and make-up, launched by celebrities that it is difficult to keep up with all the projects that are constantly entering the market. From Kylie Jenner to Chiara Ferragni, from Rihanna to Victoria Beckham, from Madonna to Miranda Kerr, every star has decided to challenge him/herself by starting a career as a businessman/woman. The truth is that if, until recently, the celebrities were satisfied with being the protagonists of ads, appearing as the face of a product or showing it off during interviews or on the red carpet, now they want more. They want to own it.

Chiara Ferragni - Chiara Ferragni Collection

Beyoncé - Ivy Park

Emily Ratajkowski - Inamorata Swim

Giorgia Tordini & Gilda Ambrosio - The Attico

Kate Hudson - Fabletics

Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen - The Row

Veronica Ferraro - Not After Ten

Chiara Biasi - Matinée

One of the first to do so in the '10s is said to have been the silent film star Irene Castle, who capitalized on her nickname of "the best dressed woman in America" to start up a fashion line, followed in the '80s by Sophia Loren, Cher and Elizabeth Taylor with their perfumes and by Paul Newman with a line of sauces that over time became a real small food empire. In the 1990s, wa the turn of the supermodels with cosmetics and ready-to-wear and, from there on, the phenomenon spread like wildfire until the current boom, also predicted by Teri Agins in her 2014 book titled Hijacking the Runway where she wrote: "The biggest force in fashion of the early twenty-first century is not designers or manufacturers or retailers. It is, quite simply, fame." Although the journalist was referring to fashion, the statement is valid for every industry. 

Rihanna - Fenty Beauty

Kylie Jenner - Kylie Cosmetics

Jessica Alba - The Honest Company

Victoria Beckham - Victoria Beckham Beauty

Madonna - MDNA SKIN

Cindy Crawford - Meaningful Beauty

Selena Gomez - Rare Beauty

If there is one industry that is always been popular among actresses and singers, it is definitely beauty. In recent years, there are many names have entered this business. From Gwyneth Paltrow with Goop to Jessica Alba with The Honest Company, the most successful companies have focused on green and eco-friendly products, offered in different shades and textures. A bit like Rihanna did with Fenty Beauty when in 2017 she launched a range of 40 shades of foundation, making available to her customers a much more inclusive and broad offer than that guaranteed by the other brands until then. Her strategy was successful and made her earn over $100 million during her first weeks of sales. As profitable as it is, day after day, new business after new business, even the beauty world is becoming increasingly saturated. So, influenced by the trend of the moment, celebrities have moved from cosmetics to skincare and, more recently, to haircare as Cardi B and Tracee Ellis Ross have done. 

Alicia Keys - Keys Soulcare

Miranda Kerr - Kora Organics

Jennifer Lopez - JLo Beauty

Tracee Ellis Ross - Pattern Beauty

Gwyneth Paltrow - Goop

Michelle Hunziker - Goovi

There's nothing more fickle than fashion, so it's normal that, depending on the period, there are segments of the market that are hotter. If Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen with The Row and Victoria Beckham with her eponymous brand have focused on a minimal and sophisticated, contemporary yet timeless style, other stars have decided to invest in specific segments. Any examples? Beyoncé and Kate Hudson, with Ivy Park and Fabletics respectively, have opted for athleisure, while Emily Ratajkowski, exploiting her perfect body and her passion for selfies in bikinis, has launched the Inamorata swimwear line, as have Giorgia Tordini and Gilda Ambrosio adding a swimwear offering to The Attico. Still in Italy, Chiara Biasi is in charge of the collections of the swimwear brand Matinée, while Veronica Ferraro recently made her debut on Yoox with the first collection of Not After Ten, her sportswear brand.

Kendall Jenner - 818

Cara, Poppy e Chloe Delevingne - Della Vite

Cara, Poppy e Chloe Delevingne - Della Vite

Jennifer Garner - Once Upon A Farm

Chiara Ferragni - Chiara Ferragni Collection

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Foodstirs

Kristen Bell - This Saves Lives

Kate Hudson - King St. Vodka

Cameron Diaz - Avaline

Sarah Jessica Parker - Invivo X

Another business particularly loved by actresses, singers and influencers is food & wine. Kendall Jenner has just debuted on the market with 818 tequila, following the path already started by Cameron Diaz with Avaline wine or by Sarah Jessica Parker with Invivo X. Green and fair trade food, or simply easy to cook, has conquered many celebrities, including the actresses Jennifer Garner with Once Upon A Farm organic juices, Kristen Bell with This Saves Lives bars, whose proceeds help malnourished children, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, who went from being a vampire slayer to queen of sweets thanks to Foodstirs. The goal the stars have for the future? To build a proper lifestyle brand, on the model of Martha Stewart. The closest to reach it, besides Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba, are surely Lauren Conrad with LC Lauren Conrad and Drew Barrymore with Flower by Drew, a brand that includes a film production company, a magazine, an eyewear line, a beauty line, a fashion line and a home line.

Kim Kardashian - Skims

Drew Barrymore - Flower by Drew

Lauren Conrad - LC Lauren Conrad

Reese Witherspoon - Draper James

Martha Stewart - Martha Stewart Living

But why are brands owned by celebrities so irresistible? The reason is that they offer something that traditional brands don't: the illusion that by buying one of their products you can have a piece of that celebrity or, at least, enjoy something that previously seemed inaccessible, namely a taste of their glamorous life. Further bridging the gap between celebrities and their fans has also come social media, which, in addition to offering a free marketing platform, creates a sense of community and provides a target buyer audience. While it's true that there's no better influencer than a star, not all that glitters is gold. A famous name is not always a guarantee of success and, as has been the case in many cases, it cannot save a product or a bad business model. The initial hype is almost always present, but to make success last over time it takes more. It takes sustainability, transparency, authentic marketing that generates a sense of trust in the buyer, and most importantly, a great product. Because the only undeniable truth is that consumers will only return to buy a particular brand if they like the product.