Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen appeared in 193 episodes of “Full House” between 1987 and 1995. After that, they starred in dozens of self-produced straight-to-video movies, a couple of other series, and several feature films. Their last acting job was in 2011.
As you are probably somewhat aware, during those post-Full House years, the twins branched out into the fashion world. Their most notable venture is a luxury fashion brand called The Row. They launched The Row in 2006 when they were both twenty. The name is a reference to London’s Savile Row, which is known for producing high-quality, bespoke tailoring.
Today, The Row is known for its minimalist aesthetic and high-quality materials. Their products feature clean lines, simple silhouettes, and a neutral color palette. They eschew trendy designs for timeless elegance. Here is one of their products, a leather bag called the Margaux, which retails for $6,000:
(Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
The Row offers ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and shoes, all characterized by understated elegance and a lack of visible branding. Popular among celebrities and fashion insiders, the brand has garnered critical acclaim and several industry awards.
The exact numbers are not known, but insiders estimate that The Row generates $250-300 million per year in revenue. And perhaps most impressively, the brand has achieved its incredible level of success, somewhat under the radar. They don’t have flashy ad campaigns. And unlike every other fashion brand, The Row asks audience members NOT to photograph its fashion shows.
And that brings us to today’s news. It was just announced that the Olsen twins have sold a minority stake in The Row at a valuation of $1 billion. The funding round was led by Alan and Gerard Wertheimer, the heirs to the Chanel empire, and Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the heiress to the L’Oreal empire.
The Wertheimers privately own 100% of Chanel. Their grandfather co-founded the brand with Coco Chanel and eventually bought out her stake. Today, the brothers have a combined net worth of $90 billion.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers’ grandfather founded L’Oreal. Today, it’s a publicly traded company, with the Bettencourt family owning around 40% of the outstanding shares. Francoise is currently the richest woman in the world and was the first woman in history to have a net worth top $100 billion, a feat she first accomplished in December 2023.
As for the Olsen twins, we now estimate that they are both worth $500 million.
(Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)