While celebrity brands like Hailey Bieber’s and Huda Kattan’s take different approaches to commercialization, a growing trend is emerging: many are striving to shed their star-powered labels and establish independent brand systems to transition into major players in their industries.
Among these forward-thinking celebrity brands, professional management teams often exist from the early stages, though initially overshadowed by the celebrity association. Once the brand moves past the initial phase of relying on “star power,” the gradual retreat of the celebrity—whether intentional or not—creates an opportunity for the professional team to implement strategic growth.
Fenty Beauty serves as a prime example. In the Chinese market, the brand has successfully transformed Rihanna’s personal influence into the core ethos of “Beauty For All,” evolving into a cultural symbol within the industry. Whether through its pop-up bus campaign across five cities, including Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou, or its recently opened flagship concept store in Shenzhen, Rihanna’s image is no longer the sole focus. Instead, the brand highlights its signature 50-shade foundation range, customized shade-matching services, and its commitment to inclusivity—elements that are now amplified.
This localized marketing strategy in China owes much to Kendo, LVMH’s beauty incubator. In 2017, Kendo invested $35 million for a 50.01% stake in Fenty Beauty, with Rihanna retaining 49.99%. Since then, the brand has soared, becoming the top-grossing celebrity beauty brand in 2023 with annual revenue hitting $600 million—a 50% increase from 2021.
Another example is Anine Bing, which recently opened its first Guangzhou store. Having entered the Chinese market just over a year ago, the brand has already secured a foothold in prime locations across major cities. Notably, its founder—a Danish singer and fashion influencer—established a clear team structure early on, with herself as Chief Creative Officer and Nicolai Bing as CEO. The brand’s localization strategy in China, managed directly by its internal team, is evident in its minimalist yet edgy store designs featuring white tones, wood, and glass.
For celebrity brands to transition from “star-driven” to “culture-driven,” they must develop distinct commercial identities beyond their founders’ personal IP. Take Edison Chen’s streetwear label Clot, which, over two decades, has collaborated with McDonald’s, Supreme, and Adidas. Unlike brands that use collaborations purely for sales boosts, Clot emphasizes its design prowess—particularly its fusion of Chinese aesthetics with streetwear. Its recent jewelry collaboration with Chow Tai Fook, incorporating Clot’s iconic motifs, garnered significant industry attention.
Among newer Chinese celebrity brands, Team Wang Design excels at reinforcing its aesthetic through art markets, Halloween events, and immersive installations, downplaying its founder’s presence to cultivate a niche cultural community. Similarly, D.Desirable leveraged Wang Hedi’s appearance at the NBA All-Star Game to launch a collaboration with NBA ATELIER, tapping into basketball culture to expand its influence.
Systematic operational resilience outweighs the fleeting glow of celebrity. The ultimate challenge for these brands is whether they can sustain independently once the initial hype fades. After rapid early growth, they must focus on R&D, supply chains, and user engagement (hardware) while transforming celebrity IP into enduring brand values (software).
Moving forward, the key to survival lies in appointing professional management and building cultural symbols detached from personal IP. This will be the decisive factor separating lasting brands from fleeting ventures.
