Once upon a time, Jessica Simpson was just a successful country singer turned reality television star who wasn’t sure if the tuna she’s eating was fish or chicken.
Today she’s the face and owner of one of the most successful celebrity clothing lines ever. A commendable feat given the fact that celebrity brands often die out soon after their hype has faded.
In fact, it’s so profitable it became the first celebrity-owned fashion line to earn $1 billion in terms of annual sales leading the media to dub the singer as “America’s Retail Queen”.
So, how did she do it? What does The Jessica Simpson Collection has to offer that failed celebrity brands don’t?
Knowing What Other Women Want
The Jessica Simpson Collection targeted their products to regular, everyday American women instead of the high-fashion types that other celebrity brands catered to.
Having gone through almost all sizes in women’s clothing due to the weight fluctuations she’s gone through throughout her adult life, Simpson has the experience to help her come up with clothes that’ll catch the attention of a wide array of customers from teenagers scouring the local mall for a cute summer dress to their plus-sized older sisters who might be looking for flattering and stylish clothes
Born and raised outside big cities like Los Angeles and New York, the Texan country singer feels like she knows the average American woman, especially those who live in the Midwest, more than other designers who are focused on urban fashion.
The Jessica Simpson Collection started out in 2006 as a one-time shoe collaboration with Nine West but it’s success led to its expansion to other clothing items. The brand currently has 22 different licenses for products like handbags, sunglasses, jewelry and even fragrances.
Likeable and Relatable Persona
Her former business partner and Nine West co-founder, Vince Camuto, was known to have attributed the brand’s success to Simpson’s clean reputation and general likeability before he passed away a few years prior.
This sentiment has also been affirmed by brand consultant Robert Passikoff who said that her girl-next-door persona made it easy for potential customers to relate to her on an emotional level and trust her and by extension, her brand.
Her public image as a women’s advocate also helped her appeal. In fact, she once said that her goal as a businesswoman is to provide women with clothes that will make them feel good and confident in their own bodies regardless of size.
Future Growth
Although she’s already made history when her brand’s sales reached a billion in 2015, Simpson is still determined to grow her business further both in and out of the United States.
The brand is currently in a long-term partnership with Sequential Brands Group, Inc., a company which promotes and markets consumer brands.
