Why Celebrity Clothing Lines Sell
SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker - the first blogger fashionista famed from her Carrie Bradshaw days of Sex and The City, was a natural to start a clothing line. Net-a-Porter partnered with her to create the SJP By Sarah Jessica Parker collection. 
The line's calling card is that it is "Created With A Commitment To Quality, The Single Sole And Using Color As A Neutral".
Good American by Khloe Kardashian
While their Kardashian Collection line is no longer available at Sears, as it just didn't rake in the expected sales, Khloe Kardashian’s Good American fashion line made a fresh start for the reality star. Beginning as a brand providing jeans designed to fit women of all shapes and sizes, the brand grew into a fashion forward company which includes top selling denim, ready-to-wear clothing and bodysuits
The Kardashian Collection should have been a mass marketer's dream backed by the super-power of the Kardashian family. Sales however declined, and the higher priced items became deeply discounted before being discontinued.
Kardashian Kids
And let's not forget about the Kardashians' children's line... Once they began to become mothers, a whole new world opened up to market to with Kardashian Kids. The line is sold at Babies "R" Us, Lord & Taylor, Zappos, Nordstrom.com and Hudson's Bay Canada. And the cutest part of the line's Instagram is that once you dress your child in the clothing, you simply need to upload a picture to your own Instagram, and tag #kardashiankids to be featured on the line's Instagram page. This is PERFECT for the millions of fans out there who really want to be a Kardashian too.
SKIMS by Kim Kardashian
After struggling for years to find the perfect pair of spanx, the socialite decided to resolve her problem by coming up with her own line of shapewear: SKIMS. Kim Kardashian's line was, and has been, a huge sucess since its initial release. In fact, they recently expanded beyond the realms of undergarments, to now release a whole line of loungewear and athletic wear.
Credit: SKIMS
Seven7 By Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthy debuted her first collection as part of a fashion line with HSN, and also sold at retailers across the country. Her positioning is a body positive line that doesn't call out "plus sizes".
The Jessica Simpson Collection
Jessica Simpson's fashion line includes clothing, handbags, sunglasses, accessories, jewelry, shoes and fragrances. And it is one of the most successful celebrity driven lines sold. Originally launched in 2006 as a shoe collaboration with Nine West co-founder Vince Camuto, Simpson now has 22 different licensing extensions of her brand name.
Simpson told New York magazine the reason her brand is so successful is because "When it comes to other celebrity brands, I think a lot of people do a great job, but it can't be all about them. Everybody doesn't want to just look like the celebrity, because they can't. They just want one element of that style."
Little James by Kristin Cavallari
Kristin Cavallari's children's clothing line, Little James, was first launched in 2018. The reality star's line sells both pajamas and toys, and the brand prides itself on being "fashion-forward," "functional," and most importantly, "eco-friendly." 
Credit: Little James Clothing
Victoria by Victoria Beckham
It's no surprise that Posh Spice has her own line, as Victoria Beckham is known to be a trendsetter, and is always serving looks on the red carpet. Victoria Beckham's luxury designer brand, Victoria, launched at New York Fashion Week in 2011. While her brand is not the most affordable, it definitely is very fashionable!
Credit: The Label Finder
Credit: The Guardian
CALIA by Carrie Underwood
In 2015, the country singer decided to launch her own activewear line called CALIA. CALIA was created in collaboration with DICK's Sporting Goods (so if you want to buy a piece, you know where to check it out!). Underwood's line has been praised for its high quality fabrics, and affordable pricing.
Credit: One Country
OVO by Drake
Drake, released his own clothing line, OVO, or October's Very Own, back in 2011. The Toronto rapper combined forces with his friend Oliver El-Khatib to create the brand, and ever since it's release, the luxury streetwear brand has become a massive hit (especially in Canada!)
Credit: SWAGGER Magazine
Claudia Schiffer And Aquazzura Capsule Collection
Partnering Claudia Schiffer's fashion background and designer Edgardo Osorio led to the collection which features "8 statement-making (shoe) styles for contemporary women."
Eva Mendes And New York & Company
The clothing line is such a success for the retailer that in May 2017 they announced that the Eva Mendes Collection would be expanded to over 50 shop-in-shops and 19 Eva Mendes boutiques, in addition to their very strong online business. Apparel from the Eva Mendes Collection ranges from $46.95 to $129.95.
Gabrielle Union And New York & Company
Nine West and Company extended their celebrity partnership to introduce a new line with Gabrielle Union in August 2017. Union stars in the now-to-be last season as a a stylish cable news anchor on BET’s Being Mary Jane, and has often been seen at runway shows around the world. Her Instagram page is popular based on her clothing combinations ranging across designers styled with a bit of her own added funk. The new line comes in sizes 0 to 20, featuring off-shoulder jumpsuits, sweater dresses, kimono jackets, flattering sweater dresses and more.
Draper James By Reese Witherspoon
Named after Reese's Louisiana born grandparents Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon, the line honors her Southern heritage. Her goal with the line, "With Draper James, our goal is to bring contemporary, yet timeless Southern style to your wardrobe and your home, no matter where you live."
Elizabeth And James By Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen
Established by Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen in 2007, their Elizabeth and James line offers women's contemporary clothing, handbags, jewelry, eye wear and fragrance. These twins have come far from their days as TV sitcom and home entertainment videos and DVDs as fashionistas. Their line is highly successful and vocally supports high-end manufacturing in the U.S.
Goop Label By Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow launched Goop, which is a lifestyle brand that includes clothing, accessories, wellness vitamins, skin-care essentials. The website where the brand lives promotes itself as offering "cutting-edge wellness advice from doctors, vetted travel recommendations, and a curated shop of clean beauty, fashion, and home."
Fenty X Puma By Rihanna
Why simply hire a celebrity when you can collaborate and create an entire line of products - with their being highly vested in its success? That's exactly what Puma did with Rihanna. The queen of a bold, unique style partnered with Puma to create a line of shoes that are in her style. The line includes stillettos, casual sneakers and slip-ons - going outside the standard Puma tennis shoe.
Olivia Palermo +Chelsea28
In 2016, Nordstrom partnered with Olivia Palermo to launch an extended line to Chelsea28. Having been launched on screen in Gossip Girl as a fashionista, this now real life of Palermo allows her fans to emulate her look.
Ivy Park By Beyonce
Beyoncé launched Ivy Park to help woman look and feel like a queen - while working out or just hanging out. Ivy Park is an activewear clothing line co-founded by artist Beyoncé and London based fashion retailer Topshop, introduced in 2016.
Fabletics By Kate Hudson
While controversy due to quality has definitely made the press, Kate Hudson's Fabletics is a line of stylish workout clothes for both men and women, including yoga pants, leggings, joggers, tops, tees and more. The actress has her image emblazoned on the walls of her stores and catalogs.
Paper Crown By Lauren Conrad
Promoted through her own blog, Paper Crown By Lauren Conrad offers "a modern take on classic style, with an emphasis on fabric fit to create staples for the contemporary women's closet" - and even bridesmaids dresses that were added during her own wedding planning. The line is founded additionally by partner Maura McManus, and sold online through Paper Crown.
The Weeknd and H&M
And last but not least... let's not forget to include that male celebrities can also be fashion-forward designers and partners for fashion brands. For Grammy-winning singer The Weeknd, the partnership with H&M is a natural showcase of his relaxed on-stage personality that has the same vibe as his off-the-stage lifestyle of comfortable clothes and sweats. "I guess that’s why this collection has connected so well with my fans, because I can relate to them, and they can relate to me and what I wear."
Serena Williams
In May 2018 Serena launched her own name brand clothing line and serves as its spokesperson. It's a fashion line that certainly makes trends happen - and sells out on a continual basis.
Emily Ratajkowski Inamorata
In 2018 supermodel Emily Ratajkowski launched Inamorata Swim, a six-piece bathing suit line inspired by her childhood in San Diego, California, along with a new line extension in 2019, Inamorata: BODY, a mix of lingerie staples and bodywear where each garment is named after popular streets in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn.
DUBEE by Whoopi
Whoopi Goldberg's casual-cool line launched in May 2019, released with a broad price range from $89 to $390 and available at Neiman Marcus, Macy's, Ashley Stewart and Amazon.
Said by Whoopi to Instyle:
- "You should be able to walk in your closet, no matter how you’re feeling, and say, ‘Ooh, I know this is going to work.'"
- "Most sweatshirts don’t have a little chiffon on the side, but these do. Anybody can have it on and think ‘Yes, I can go on to this bar, because I’ve got chiffon on my hoodie!’"
- “People will always say to somebody young, ‘Oh, you’re dressing so old,’ and they will say to an older woman, ‘Oh, you’re dressing too young,’” she said. “The clothes that we made, you could be 21 and wear it, you could be 65 and wear it, you could be whatever age you are and look good in it. And feel good in it. You’re not too old to wear anything that makes you happy. That’s the key. The only important voice, ever, is your own.”
Working With Celebrities
These are not all of the celebrity fashion lines that exist - but just a sample that serve to show that celebrities sell clothes, especially when they are vested in their own brand lines. As a fashion brand, instead of hiring a 'face' of a single campaign, a comprehensive celebrity endorsement partnership with ownership stake in the fashion line might actually be the best investment the brand can make.
Check out these three blogs about working with celebrities:
- 4 Celebrity Endorsement Ads Paired With Unexpected Brands
- Athletes As Brand Celebrity Endorsers High Reward And Low Risk
- How To Leverage A Celebrity Talent To A Brands Advantage
And while not every brand is ready to hire on a celebrity spokesperson or partner, brands can leverage the allure of celebrities - affordably - through sponsoring the events they attend for gorgeous red carpet moments, behind the scenes gifting and testimonials, or meet and greets with press and retail partners. And if you really DO want to learn more on how to utilize celebrity partnerships within your own brand marketing plans, we've created a course that you can take and walk away with true tools to put to use! Check out our influencer marketing school!
