Billionaire Olsen Twins: We're Legitimate Designers!
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Unlike some celebrity clothing designers, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are involved with each aspect of the apparel-making process.
PHOTOS: Who's who at Fashion Week
As the head designers of three separate clothing lines -- The Row, Elizabeth & James and Olsenboye -- the 24-year-old sisters have brought in $1 billion in retail sales through their company, Dualstar. Still, Mary-Kate and Ashley tell Vogue's April issue that buyers weren't always so supportive of their fashion venture.
"We hired a showroom and talked buyers through," Ashley recalls. "People would drill us about fabric, where we'd make it," Mary-Kate adds. "The first season, customers bought it, so the stores came back. And drilled us again."
PHOTOS: Celebrities on the catwalk
Still, the twins realized that with no formal design training under their belts, they were in for a tough sell.
"It's a fair question," Ashley notes, "but Dualstar started when we were six. And we had a collection with Walmart at 12, which was the upper tier of the tween market. It was before celebrity designers."
"And we were really designing it," Mary-Kate points out. "It would be jeans, a bit bohemian, or with a little blazer. It was really fashion-forward."
PHOTOS: Best-dressed stars of 2010
These days, the well-established sisters are finally being recognized for their achievements: they received their first ever CDFA nomination this year. (The twins will face off against Joseph Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung in the Swarovski Award for Womenswear category).
"It's classicist, no-bother stuff. I live in it," raves celebrity fan Lauren Hutton, who once modeled for The Row's look book. "It's beautifully tailored in a modern way. It just fits, chicly. You know, I look up to them."
PHOTOS: Stars with designer BFFS
With rave reviews and celebrity fans like Carey Mulligan, the former child stars show no signs of slowing down in the near future.
"I want to run a studio," Ashley announces. "I'd probably like to manage other people on their brands. It could be an artist. A young designer. It could be an existing brand."
"The thing about us," Mary-Kate interjects," is we think big. Huge."
Tell Us What You Think
10Their high-end designs are all super cute but I can't really afford them which is a shame. Just because they dress a little off doesn't mean they can't be great designers. Look at John Galliano and Betsey Johnson, they both dress weird and act crazy but they make beautiful designs. Also, I'd like to point out that they didn't go to the magazine to say hey we're legitimate, the magazine asked those questions.
They brought in 1 billion in retail sales, plenty of people are buying it.
Didnt one of them suffer from an eating disorder idk but i will always remember them from Fullhouse
"Okay these two will not be accepted as designers until they stop looking like scared raccoons stuck under a sheet." ROTF! Exactly Sandra.
Okay these two will not be accepted as designers until they stop looking like scard racoons stuck under a sheet.
I think if you're a "legitimate designer," you don't have to SAY so. Your work will speak for itself.
designers??? Madonna's 15 year old daughter is better alone than these 2.
There they are...Miss Scary eyes.
When the Olsen Twins are trying to defend themselves as legitimate designers, you know people don't quite see them as they see themselves.
Olsenboye is terrible. I work at JCPenney where that line is sold. It just sits there - no one wants it. It looks like little girl clothes to fit a junior size.