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Celebrity Rag Riches- The Clothing Line Empires of Jessica Simpson, Diddy, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary Kate And Ashley Olsen

BY: GURU JAY


Clothes are a basic need. Fashion is a want or desire. Luxury is a gift.

My motto is… to each his own. Pick your poison.  If you want to look nice, by all means dress for success

Fashion is poisonous. Walk into a fashionista’s closet; and, you’ll swear it was a warehouse. You’ll find belts, boots, scarfs, and anything fashionable.

Aim to be the best dressed. Mark Twain said: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” So invest in a nice wardrobe.


Your apparel says a lot about you. You are what you wear. Do you wear tacky clothes? Are you wearing mismatched shoes?


We all have a sister who splurges on the fancy things. She owns 100 pairs of shoes. And, she is part owner of Zappos. Shoes are the main suspects.


The question is how can someone spend so much money on luxurious brands. In my article, I hope to answer this question and more. I’ll show you how celebrities are culprits.


Celebrities Most Wanted List


The following celebrities are most wanted for making a killing off of their clothing lines.


#10 Nicole Richie

Photo By: Eva Rinaldi

Nicole Richie has a good name. In marketing, you learn the value of brand name recognition. Her brand is strong because of the celebrity of her father and The Simple Lifereality show.

TV is a powerful platform. Even if you don’t own a physical television, you probably have watched TV shows on the Internet. House of Harlow 1960 is a baby Nicole has nurtured since 2010.

#9 Rachel Zoe


Rachel Zoe sets the stage for celebrity stylists. If you’re a player in the industry, then Rachel is on your radar. The Rachel Zoe Project helps build and expand her brand.

The fashion designer launched her clothing line in 2011. She collected $20 million in sales. Her husband Roger Berman is CEO of the company. Do you see a trend?


#8 Justin Timberlake

Photo By: Belu EG

Justin Timberlake made the list as expected. He is a savvy businessman. And, I’ve heard he makes pretty good music too.

Timberlake and Trace Ayala built a $50 million brand named William Rast. Over the years, it has gained significant media attention. I imagine the clothing line will take off in the near future.

#7 Gwen Stefani

Photo By: jelizen

Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. reached sales of $90 million. Gwen is a huge success due to her music. Music is her main platform.

Musicians succeed in fashion, because they are artistic. Walk into a boutique and you will encounter an eccentric owner. Creativity is required in this business.


#6 Victoria Beckham


Spice girl and wife of David, Victoria Beckham is worth $95 million in revenue. Her true calling is fashion. Beckham has global reach and international appeal.

She is a really good singer. What is more, Beckham is an even better businesswoman. She has magnetic charm.


#5 Diddy

Photo By: David Shankbone

Sean John “Diddy” Combs is a commercial success. He built a clothing line empire with his smooth business skills. His revenue from clothes exceeds $250 million.

The urban community embraces Diddy’s brand Sean John without a doubt. Diddy has diversified and that helps maintain his cash flow. Forbes loves him…do you?

#4 Jay-Z

Photo By: Joella Marano

Nowadays, Jay-Z is known as Beyoncé’s husband. Did you know his Rocawear brand earns $700 million per year? Curious George says that isn’t peanuts!

Jay-Z proudly displays his celebrity rag riches. His prolific rap career benefits his clothing line empire. Forbes loves him too.

#3 Jessica Simpson


The former reality TV star makes more money with her clothing line than with her music. The Jessica Simpson Collection has racked in over $750 million of revenue. She has big boots to fill. 

There’s a catch to Jessica Simpson’s clothing line success. Simpson is absent from country music. That’s why Taylor Swift is bigger than Moses.

#2 Kimora Lee Simmons


The model Kimora Lee Simmons made over $800 million in sales as a fashion designer. This level of success in the fashion industry is extremely rare. She struts beauty on the runway. And she has brains built for business at the headquarters.

The reality star has 3 clothing lines: KLS, Kouture by Kimora and Fabulosity. What’s her secret? How does she manage to maintain?

#1 Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen

Photo By: David Shankbone

The Olsen twins hold down the number 1 spot. They reached $1 billion in revenue. Ashley and Mary-Kate have turned their celebrity status 360 degrees. They’re most famous for portraying Michelle on the family TV sitcom Full House.

Celebrities secretly envy the Olsen family. Their clothing line empire is the cream of the crop. They have built the toughest celebrity fashion brand.

The fashion industry generates $1.2 trillion. Read here for the latest statistics. LVMH’s annual revenue surpasses $37 billion.

Also, Christian Dior and Hermès are among the iconic international luxury brands. Celebrity clothing lines contribute a great deal to the profitable apparel industry. If you have a good idea, there’s no need to worry about going out of business. You’re always in high demand.

Honorable Mentions

The following celebrities have made a fortune from their fashion lines: Selena Gomez, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Beyoncé, Nicky Hilton, 50 Cent, Nelly, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.

These days, ‘rags to riches’ is rare. ‘Riches to rags’ is the norm. But still, where there is a will there is a way.

I recommend reading How to Start a Clothing Line. I suggest you become a celebrity first, if you want to improve your chances. It will be 100 times easier to break into the industry this way.


As you can see, many celebrities make more money in the fashion industry than in entertainment. I call this phenomenon Celebrity Rag Riches.  

Thank you for reading, subscribing, and sharing. I welcome your comments.



~ The Guru Jay

By iamgurujay

Iamgurujay is a blogger who writes, features, and tweets celebrities in music, movies, & TV. This is perfect for stars, fangirls, and entertainment junkies!