Celebrities doing fashion is not a new phenomenon. But making fashion with high standards rarely worked after Victoria Beckham and The Row. A new group of A-listers are currently trying to do just that.
You can find out here what they do, who it works for and where you can buy it in Germany.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie started making fashion this year under the name ‘Atelier Jolie’. Not much is known yet about what exactly the actress wants to offer. But it should be clear that ‘Atelier Jolie’ can benefit from the image of Angelina Jolie and her style. Over the past decades, Angelina has worked as an Oscar winner, UNHCR ambassador and director, and has built a reputation as a serious, politically engaged and sophisticated celebrity. This image also underlines the choice of headquarters for Atelier Jolie, which has moved into Jean-Michel Basquiat’s former artist studio in New York.
Angelina Jolie’s fashion style reflects elegance. On the red carpet she usually wears floor-length evening dresses with a corsage and waist that are tight at the top and tapered towards the bottom. This creates a flowing silhouette that is reminiscent of empire dresses and antique columns. It is also mostly reserved in terms of color. Monochromatic tones and old Hollywood glamor are her trademark.
So far little is known about the label, which wants to work collaboratively. The first collaboration is planned with Chloé. “Co-designed by Chloé Creative Director Gabriela Hearst and Atelier Jolie founder Angelina Jolie, the capsule collection focuses on authentic relationships between women and celebrates both brands’ commitment to greater social and environmental sustainability through greater transparency and accountability.” it on Instagram. She recently explained in an interview with the fashion magazine Vogue that her goal is not to be a “great fashion designer” herself. The project should be more about offering other talented people a space where they can work creatively and sustainably.
Read more: Angelina Jolie talks about her fashion project ‘Atelier Jolie’
The label is currently looking online for tailors “who understand quality and creativity” and artisans “with a focus on embroidery, fabric painting, fabric manipulation,” as it says on the website. Atelier Jolie’s first collection is expected in November.
2. Brad Pitt
In a dream, Brad Pitt appeared to the holistic healer Sat Hari. He told her he was looking for a green cashmere shirt because he needed more “softness” in his life. The woman who was kept on speed dial in Hollywood during spiritual crises told him about this dream and the idea for a joint fashion label was born.
They founded the fashion label ‘God’s True Cashmere’, which offers shirts, homewear and home accessories made from pure cashmere. The pieces are made in Italy and the yarns are sourced from various ethical goat farms. Each shirt features seven buttons on the front representing the chakras and has a total of 11 buttons, which in numerology represents mastery.
Each button is handcrafted from a semi-precious stone selected for its “special healing properties.” “Each of our garments is made to honor the energy within you and the divine energy that surrounds us all,” the website says. The shirts cost around 2,000 US dollars (around 1895 euros) in the online shop. In Germany, the fashion label is available at Apropos.
3. Rihanna
The singer Rihanna had already established herself very successfully with her brands Fenty Beauty (cosmetics) and Savage X Fenty (lingerie) when the fashion conglomerate LVMH won her over for a joint venture in 2019. ‘Fenty Maison’ was to be the name of the ready-to-wear label she was to manage under the LVMH umbrella.
But the label had to close its doors again in February 2021. The pandemic did not allow the Barbadian businesswoman living in the USA, or not enough, to shape the design and production in Europe. Ultimately, due to the pandemic, earnings also fell short of hopes. The target audience of Rihanna fans who would spend $40 on a bra or $30 on lipstick was apparently not the same demographic willing to spend $300 on hoodies or $900 on sandals. Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty performed well during the same period, so LVMH wants to remain invested.
A future comeback of the brand cannot be ruled out either. At the time, WWD said they were waiting for “better conditions”. The choice of timing, just before the outbreak of the pandemic, was truly unfortunate: 2019 was the first time since 1987 that LVMH took the financial risk of launching a fashion brand from scratch. Meanwhile, she celebrated another collaboration this fall with the German sportswear retailer Puma, where the partners relied on several drops, explained Heiko Desens, Global Creative Director at Puma, in an interview.
Fenty Beauty is available in Germany at Sephora and in its own online store. Savage X Fenty is also available in the online shop.
4. Pharrell Williams
Louis Vuitton brought musician Pharrell Williams into the house as creative director for its men’s collection, succeeding Virgil Abloh, who died on November 28, 2021. The exceptional artist made his appearance in June at the Men’s Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 in Paris. The fashion show, which took place on the Pont Neuf in the middle of Paris, was well received by the industry.
Williams had previously demonstrated his fashion skills with his brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Apparel as well as a capsule for Chanel and Tiffany & Co. Of course, it doesn’t hurt the brand value if the rapper’s friends stop by his fashion show. Jay Z and Beyoncé were also gathered at the Pont Neuf, as was Rihanna, who Pharrell also made his campaign face. Whether Lois Vuitton’s audience can identify with its aesthetic remains to be seen, but it’s not too far removed from its successful predecessor – so it should sell well.
Louis Vuitton has its own mono-brand stores in Germany and can also be found in KaDeWe and Oberpollinger.
5. Kim Kardashian
Four years after it was founded, Kim Kardashian’s fashion label Skims is worth $4 billion. It started out as a shapewear label, but the figure-shaping underwear is no longer the main source of income for the celebrity brand, which Kardashian runs together with Jens Grede, marketing mastermind and founder of Frame Denim. The enterprising celebrity has long been selling swimwear and everyday clothing under Skims. Grede, she said in an interview that the company is profitable and will have sales of $750 million this year after turning over $500 million in 2022. About 15 percent of online customers come from outside the U.S., and nearly 70 percent of customers are Millennials or Gen Z-ers.
The label is size-inclusive, ranging from XXS to 4X/5X and the underwear comes in numerous skin tones. Skims is sold in its own online shop, as well as at Net-a-Porter, Ssense and numerous relevant retailers, especially in North America. Flagship stores in Los Angeles and New York are to follow next year, and an IPO is not ruled out. The label has also been available to buy at KaDeWe in Berlin since mid-September – it is the first stationary sales point in Germany.