The phenomenon of celebrity fashion Businesses and Their impact on mainstream fashion

3.1 Cobranding/mono-branding

Generally, mono-branding affords traditional command-and-control over the brand [8]. Most celebrity fashion brands initially adopt a mono-branding strategy for brand control (e.g., Rihanna’s Fenty, Victoria Beckham’s label), identity reinforcement (e.g., Kanye West’s Yeezy), and higher margins.

Co-branding, on the other hand, is a form of cooperation between two brands with significant consumer recognition that results in the creation and introduction of a new product on which both brands are visible [9]. The branding arrangement is termed mono-branding when a brand solely features the celebrity’s name, and the manufacturer maintains no direct association with the brand. This approach might be employed when the brand aims to leverage the celebrity’s image to expand its presence into a target market where it lacks significant brand equity and recognition [10].

Some celebrities opt for collaborations with well-established fashion houses or brands. This business model involves merging the celebrity’s personal brand with the design expertise and production capabilities of an established entity. This collaboration often brings a mix of exclusivity and high-quality craftsmanship to the clothing line.

Many success stories in the footwear industry include the collaboration between Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto (Y-3) [11]. The collaboration enabled the fusion of sports and avant-garde designs. Martin Margiela and Comme des Garçons have both designed for H&M [12]. Also, Rick Owens and Raf Simons have created successive shoe collections for Adidas, and Kris Van Assche has likewise collaborated repetitiously with brands such as Lee and Eastpak. Nike’s partnership with basketball legend Michael Jordan to introduce the Air Jordan brand stands as an iconic example of leveraging the influence of celebrities [13].

3.2 Affordable mass-market collections

Many celebrities choose to create affordable clothing lines that cater to a broad consumer base. By making their fashion accessible in terms of price, they tap into the mass-market appeal. This business model aims for volume sales and broad consumer reach, contributing to the democratization of fashion. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen has collaborated with a shoe manufacturing outfit to launch her own line of affordable flip-flops, which was a success both in Brazil and abroad. Celebrity-helmed apparel line, the Jessica Simpson, in collaboration with Wal-Mart has released a new collection of women’s apparel, swim, and jewelry with the price ranges below $30 [14].

3.3 Direct-to-consumer (DTC/D2C) online platforms

The situation where consumers buy directly from manufacturers is referred to as D2C sales. With the rise of e-commerce, some celebrity fashion lines adopt a direct-to-consumer model, selling their products exclusively through online platforms.

Bypassing traditional retail channels allows for more direct engagement with consumers and often enables quicker adaptation to emerging trends. Examples include Rihanna’s Fenty, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, and so on. Figure 3 shows Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty makeup range. Digital communities and influencers flourish through direct interactions between consumers and businesses. D2C opportunities provide them with a platform to magnify their voices and strengthen their impact.

Figure 3

Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty makeup range. Credit: beautypackaging.com, 2024 [15].

3.4 Limited edition and drops

This model involves releasing limited-edition or exclusive collections in small quantities. Limited edition products can be perceived as high-quality products and high-value brands for consumers [16]. Creating a sense of scarcity and urgency, celebrities generate hype around their clothing lines, encouraging swift purchases. This approach often aligns with the “drop” culture, where new items are released periodically to maintain interest. An example is the 2022 collaboration between renowned designer and tailor Dapper Dan and Gap. The concept replaced Gap’s classic arch logo “Gap” with “Dap” on hoodies [17].

3.5 Subscription-based services

A subscription-based online service denotes an electronic commerce venture that delivers personalized merchandise directly to the consumer’s doorstep on a regular basis, in exchange for a weekly, monthly, or yearly subscription fee [18]. A few celebrities have explored subscription-based models, where consumers sign up for a recurring fee to receive curated fashion items regularly. Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Rihanna’s lingerie brand offers a subscription box service called Xtra VIP Membership, where subscribers receive exclusive discounts and early access to new collections [19]. This business model fosters a sense of ongoing engagement and loyalty, with subscribers anticipating and receiving new pieces regularly.

3.6 Activewear and athleisure lines

With the growing popularity of active wear and athleisure, some celebrities focus on creating lines specifically tailored to fitness and casual wear. This niche approach targets consumers seeking both functionality and style in their clothing choices. Fabletics, the athleisure apparel brand, has collaborated with media personality Khloé Kardashian on a new nine-piece collection inspired by the desert. The product range consists of frame sculpting bras, onesies, leggings, jackets, and hoodies [20].

3.7 Socially conscious brands

The rise in ethical consumption patterns and increased concern for sustainable fashion production form the foundation for the development of a fresh consumer market focused on sustainable fashion [21]. In recent years, some celebrities have embraced sustainable and socially conscious business models. They incorporate eco-friendly materials, ethical manufacturing processes, or even charitable components in their clothing lines. This resonates with individuals who value sustainability and social accountability when making consumer choices.

Gender consciousness refers to an awareness and understanding of the social, cultural, and political dynamics related to gender identity, roles, and inequalities. It involves recognizing and challenging gender stereotypes, biases, and discrimination, while advocating for gender equality and justice. The Phluid Project, established by retail veteran Rob Smith, stands as a physical store with a deliberate emphasis on gender-neutral attire, aiming to address a gap in the consumer market by fostering an inclusive and socially active community environment.

3.8 Pop-up shops and limited-time retail experiences

Pop-up stores are temporary retail spaces that are set up for a short period of time, ranging from a few days to several weeks. The concept of pop-up or temporary stores aims to offer consumers a distinctive and surprising shopping encounter [22]. To generate buzz and exclusivity, celebrities may launch pop-up shops or limited-time retail experiences. These temporary storefronts provide a physical space for fans to interact with the brand and make purchases, creating a sense of urgency and excitement. These diverse business models reflect the adaptability of celebrity clothing lines to different market segments, consumer preferences, and industry trends.

4.1 Rihanna’s entrepreneurial empire

Rihanna, a multi-talented singer and actress from Barbados, has transformed into a thriving entrepreneur, leveraging her celebrity status to drive a diverse range of successful business ventures [23].

The roster of influential fashion ventures under her name includes: Fenty (Luxury Fashion House) – launched in 2019 under LVMH, Fenty became the first luxury brand led by a Black woman within the conglomerate, though it was temporarily paused in 2021, and Savage X Fenty (Lingerie & Loungewear) – introduced in 2018, this brand transformed the lingerie industry by prioritizing inclusive sizing and diverse representation.

Fenty Beauty (Cosmetics with a Fashion Edge) – the brand offers an extensive range of cosmetics, including foundation, concealer, powder, and a variety of other products. Fenty Skin (Skincare) – while centered on skincare, Fenty Skin aligns with the broader Fenty brand, frequently promoted alongside its fashion and beauty lines. Fenty Eau de Parfum, launched in August 2021, represents the brand’s venture into fragrances. Additionally, Fenty Hair and Accessories offers a range of products such as shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, gel, and edge tools, further expanding the brand’s diverse portfolio.

In addition to her own brands, she has partnered with several prominent fashion names, including Puma (for the Fenty X Puma collection), the British high-street label River Island (for a capsule collection), and the luxury fashion giant LVMH. At the core of the businesses’ mission is the resolution to provide beauty for everyone and promote diversity, acceptance, and inclusivity [25]. Figure 4 shows Savage X Fenty’s special edition collection entitled the “Savage X Fenty CLF” collection, directed at raising funds toward Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation nonprofit.

Figure 4

“Savage X Fenty CLF” collection. Credit: elle.com, 2019 [24].

Historically, leading brands in the beauty industry typically offered facial cosmetic products with a limited range of 10–20 shades, and their advertising campaigns predominantly featured thin, conventionally attractive Caucasian women [26]. However, Fenty Beauty introduced 40 shades of foundation, addressing a significant gap in the industry that had not yet been adequately tackled by any contemporary brand. Figure 5 shows Fenty Beauty’s 40 shades of foundation.

Figure 5

Fenty Beauty’s 40 shades of foundation. Credit: racked.com [27]. Models with different skin tones. Credit: bigblue.co [28].

This ripple effect, known as The Fenty Effect, reshaped the direction of the cosmetics industry. Numerous brands followed Fenty’s lead by expanding their foundation shade ranges. The Fenty Effect fostered a more inclusive environment, emphasizing the importance of representing diverse races, women in hijabs, and individuals with unique facial features. Maybelline launched its SuperStay full coverage foundation in 2018 with a shade range of 28 colors, which was expanded to 50 shades in 2019 [28]. This shift sends a powerful message to young girls and boys that they do not need to conform to a narrow beauty standard – they themselves embody beauty [26].

4.2 Kanye West’s fashion businesses

Kanye West, also known as “Ye,” has developed a wide-ranging business portfolio that highlights his creative brilliance and entrepreneurial drive. His fashion-related ventures include Yeezy, a globally recognized brand famous for its minimalist streetwear and footwear, and DONDA, his creative agency that specializes in design, branding, and cultural innovation. Kanye West’s Yeezy brand unveiled some strikingly unique and eye-catching footwear to the world.

Through Yeezy, he has brought attention to the kind of groundbreaking and inventive design that epitomizes avant-garde fashion [29]. Figure 6 shows the Yeezy 450 Stone Flax sneaker. Kanye West launched the Yeezy shoe line in 2009 with Nike and later moved it to Adidas in 2013. While initially focused on footwear in collaboration with Adidas, Yeezy has grown into a full-fledged lifestyle brand, offering clothing and accessories.

Figure 6

Yeezy 450 Stone Flax. Credit: Sneakershouts.com 2022 [30].

Despite its minimalist design, Yeezy commanded premium prices and remains highly coveted in the fashion world. Kanye’s fashion empire expanded further with the creation of Yeezy Supply, a website that started as a merchandise hub for his apparel but quickly became a high-end e-commerce platform. Additionally, Kanye entered into a prominent collaboration with Gap, known as Yeezy Gap. Even though most of the collaborative ties have been severed, Yeezy continues to thrive with new developments.

At its essence, Donda is a creative content company that harnesses Kanye’s vision to challenge conventional marketing and design practices. The agency is recognized for its unique approach to branding and product development, collaborating with prominent brands aiming to reinvent their image or connect with emerging trends [31].

4.3 Victoria Beckham’s fashion and beauty empire

Victoria Beckham first entered the fashion industry through modeling and collaborations before launching her eponymous brand in 2008. Her collection includes Victoria Beckham (Main Line), her flagship luxury womenswear label known for its minimalist, elegant designs. She also offers Victoria Beckham Denim, a line focused on high-quality denim and casual wear that reflects her signature style. Victoria by Victoria Beckham (VBV) is a more affordable diffusion line offering modern, youthful designs at a lower price point. Additionally, Victoria Beckham Beauty features a beauty range with makeup and skincare products, highlighting clean, luxurious formulations.

Her collections focus on versatility and empowerment, making them perfect for any occasion. Additionally, her commitment to sustainable fashion highlights her dedication to environmental responsibility [32]. In addition to her own fashion and beauty ventures, Victoria Beckham has partnered with renowned global brands across various industries. These collaborations include working with Estée Lauder (2016–2017) to launch a limited-edition makeup line, offering high-performance beauty products inspired by her iconic looks. She also teamed up with Reebok (2018) to design an athleticwear collection that combined functional sportswear with her distinctive tailored style.

In 2021, Victoria Beckham launched a sustainable Merino wool collection in collaboration with the Woolmark Company, emphasizing traceability and environmental responsibility. Additionally, a partnership with Breitling in 2023 resulted in a special edition of the Chronomat Automatic 36, showcasing her sleek and contemporary design ethos.

A capsule collection was developed with MANGO in 2024, blending her minimalist approach with MANGO’s modern aesthetic. Through her refined and minimalist style, Beckham has established a globally renowned brand, venturing into beauty, accessories, and high-end collaborations. Figure 7 shows Victoria Beckham’s 2022 Paris fashion week collection.

Figure 7

2022 Paris fashion week collection. Credit: Glamour magazine [33].

6.1 Fashion marketing communication

Celebrity endorsement is a widely used marketing communication and brand building. However, with regard to this approach, the celebrity’s role is typically limited to endorsing the product or service, and they are compensated for their appearance or association with the brand. Nonetheless, with regard to the celerity fashion line, the celebrity is not just endorsing the product or service but also is actively involved in the creation, development, or ownership of the campaign. A study by Hunter establishes empirically that celebrity entrepreneurs tend to be more effective communicators than typical celebrity endorsers because of their increased engagement with the ventures [40].

6.2 Cultural phenomenon

Celebrity fashion lines have emerged to serve as a cultural phenomenon that is shaping the entrepreneurial landscape, blurring the lines between entertainment, fashion, and commerce. These lines represent more than just fashion; they embody the personal style, influence, and aspirations of the celebrity behind them. Through strategic collaborations and endorsements, celebrities propel specific trends into the mainstream, dictating what is considered fashionable at any given moment. This phenomenon transforms the celebrity into a style arbiter, wielding considerable power in steering the collective fashion consciousness.

6.3 Democratization of fashion

The democratization of fashion refers to making fashion more accessible to a wider audience, breaking traditional barriers like exclusivity, high prices, and limited availability. It means that style and trends are no longer reserved for the elite but are available to people of all backgrounds. The impact of celebrity fashion lines can be seen in the democratization of fashion.

Traditionally, high-end designer clothing was often associated with exclusivity, catering to a privileged few. Celebrity fashion lines, however, break down these barriers by offering more affordable and accessible options. Celebrity brands have democratized luxury. Celebrity-owned fashion brands tend to be significantly more affordable than traditional luxury fashion houses, e.g., $200 Yeezy pods [41] vs $995 Balenciaga speed trainers (Speed 2.0 lace-up sneaker [42]). Yeezy Pods and Balenciaga speed trainers, both innovative sock-like footwear shares a similar concept but differ in sole design. This shift has empowered a broader audience to engage with fashion, blurring the lines between luxury and mass-market appeal. This can be said of the brand Sean John when it emerged on the fashion scene. The initial collections showcased this ambition to blend genres. Luxury was no longer restricted to fashion runways and celebrity events [43]. Celebrity fashion lines have indeed transformed the accessibility of “affordable luxury,” blending high-end aesthetics with mainstream price points.

6.4 Premiumization of fashion

Premiumization is the practice of creating and marketing more expensive product tiers to boost earnings. Premiumization affords the fusion of luxury desirability with the practicality of the mass market [44]. Celebrity brands premiumize fast fashion (e.g., unisex cloud slides by Jaeynow sells around $23.99 [45] while Yeezy slides could be obtained at about $180.00 [46]). Celebrity brands excel at merging high-fashion aesthetics with streetwear accessibility, appealing to diverse demographics.

6.5 Diversity

In addition to democratization, the business aspect of the fashion industry undergoes a transformation with the advent of celebrity fashion lines. Celebrities, once mere endorsers, now actively participate in entrepreneurial ventures, establishing themselves as formidable players in the business of fashion. This evolution redefines the traditional roles within the industry and contributes to a more diverse and dynamic landscape. Founder of Savage X Fenty, Rihanna, contends that given the extensive sizing range, the body-positive message will be available to many women previously excluded from the fashion-forward lingerie market [47]. Rihanna’s venture into the fashion space has been celebrated in mainstream media as groundbreaking, particularly with her latest lingerie line, which caters to a diverse array of women, encompassing various body types [48]. The concepts and agendas that some of these fashion outfits portray all go a long way to enhance diversity and enrich the industry.

6.6 Sustainability

The urgency to tackle the adverse environmental effects of fashion is increasing, alongside a rising awareness of sustainability concerns known as the sustainable fashion concept [49]. However, studies in the literature suggest that despite the growing awareness, consumers are not consistently choosing sustainable fashion products over mainstream fashion items in their purchases [50].

Some celebrity fashion lines tend to have taken up this task to encourage the consumption of sustainable fashion goods. Angelina Jolie, a world-renowned Hollywood actress and humanitarian’s own fashion brand Atelier Jolie, is reported to create clothes using only leftover luxury vintage materials and overstock [51]. Yeezy’s Foam Runner [52], a one-piece sneaker with a porous EVA foam upper and a contoured outsole, is also reported to be made of sustainable materials (EVA and algae foam) [53] and forms part of the marketing communication.