The never-ending rise of brands owned by celebrities From Kylie Jenner to Chiara Ferragni, from Rihanna to Victoria Beckham, every celebrities has its own little empire

"The last thing the world needs is another beauty brand, but that's too bad." With these words, Lady Gaga introduced Haus Laboratories, her debut in the world of cosmetics. The singer ironically referred to the fact that in recent years there have been so many brands, especially of skincare and make-up, launched by celebrities that it is difficult to keep up with all the projects that are constantly entering the market. From Kylie Jenner to Chiara Ferragni, from Rihanna to Victoria Beckham, from Madonna to Miranda Kerr, every star has decided to challenge him/herself by starting a career as a businessman/woman. The truth is that if, until recently, the celebrities were satisfied with being the protagonists of ads, appearing as the face of a product or showing it off during interviews or on the red carpet, now they want more. They want to own it.

But why are brands owned by celebrities so irresistible? The reason is that they offer something that traditional brands don't: the illusion that by buying one of their products you can have a piece of that celebrity or, at least, enjoy something that previously seemed inaccessible, namely a taste of their glamorous life. Further bridging the gap between celebrities and their fans has also come social media, which, in addition to offering a free marketing platform, creates a sense of community and provides a target buyer audience. While it's true that there's no better influencer than a star, not all that glitters is gold. A famous name is not always a guarantee of success and, as has been the case in many cases, it cannot save a product or a bad business model. The initial hype is almost always present, but to make success last over time it takes more. It takes sustainability, transparency, authentic marketing that generates a sense of trust in the buyer, and most importantly, a great product. Because the only undeniable truth is that consumers will only return to buy a particular brand if they like the product.