Breaking Down Kylie Jenner’s Fortune as Forbes Names Her the World’s Youngest Self-Made Billionaire
It was just last year that mega-influencer Kylie Jenner made a name for herself as the youngest person on Forbes‘ fourth annual ranking of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, and now at 21 years old, Jenner is officially the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
Forbes cited the influencer’s cosmetics line as the reason for her exponential growth. The publication estimated that revenue for Kylie Cosmetics has climbed 9% last year to an estimated $360 million. “With that kind of growth, and even using a conservative multiple from the booming makeup industry, Forbes estimates Jenner’s company is worth at least $900 million,” wrote Forbes, which totaled her estimated fortune at $1 billion today.
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Like most of her family members, Jenner has dabbled in a series of brand endorsements and partnerships in both the fashion and beauty categories over the years, making her no stranger to the footwear biz.
Last summer, she was named an Adidas ambassador (she previously had made a million-dollar deal with Puma, but things ended after two years). Jenner also has a fashion line that specializes in clothing and footwear with her sister Kendall Jenner, who also has a deal with Adidas.
In addition, Kylie Jenner’s beauty line, Kylie Cosmetics, has had rapid success since its launch in 2015. The reality TV star also has numerous endorsements via social media.
Here’s a deeper look into what made Jenner the self-made billionaire she is today.
She’s Got a Foot in the Shoewear Industry as a Brand Ambassador
Like the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, the young billionaire has signed deals with a few sneaker companies. In 2016, she reportedly signed a $1 million deal with Puma, launching herself as a brand ambassador in the footwear industry.
Last summer, Jenner decided to sign with Adidas and created a line featuring Adidas Originals’ Falcon sneakers. The decision marked yet another Jenner signing with the brand (Kendall also has an Adidas deal). And the E! family’s association with Adidas also includes her brother-in-law Kayne West, who famously teamed up with the brand on his massively successful Yeezy line.
Her Clothing and Shoe Line With Her Sister Is Major
The Jenner sisters’ joint clothing, accessory and shoe line is also a hit. Kylie was just 15 when the two launched the fashion line at PacSun in 2013. The brand has now expanded to Amazon and multiple department stores. According to WWD, the line sold wholesale in 390 locations in the U.S. and 975 worldwide in 2017.
For their range of shoes, the sisters teamed up with Marc Fisher Footwear Ltd. Last year, the Kendall + Kylie line sold global distribution rights to Montréal-based bootmaker Pajar Canada last year.
Kylie Cosmetics Sold $54.5M Worth of Products in Six Weeks at Ulta
Jenner’s makeup line is a huge factor in her billionaire status. Most of the marketing for her company is primarily done through social media, making her a savvy entrepreneur who’s tapped into the late millennial and Gen Z market. Her product launches are directly announced via Instagram and Snapchat to her millions of digital followers.
She teamed up with Ulta last year, giving her a brick-and-mortar presence to court more consumers. Jenner is now working with Ulta on setting powder, eyeshadows, powders and bronzers.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians Has Earned Her Major Cash
In October 2017 it was announced that the Kardashians scored a $150 million joint deal when they renewed their contract for E!’s hit reality TV show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Although it’s unknown how the money for the show is split between the family, the deal alone is a big number. Jenner also had a spinoff show called “Life of Kylie,” which premiered in 2017 but only had one season.
She’s a True Influencer
Like her other family members, Jenner is a true influencer. She consistently endorses brands both on social media and offline. Such endorsements include SugarBearHair vitamins, Fashion Nova and Lokai jewelry, to name a few. She also scored No. 1 on the Instagram Rich List, which was a ranking of the highest-paid people on the photocentric app. The list was curated by U.K.-based IG scheduling tool Hopper HQ.
Jenner reportedly charges up to $1 million per sponsored post. The beauty titan’s high-demand rate has surpassed that of Selena Gomez, who ranked No. 2 at $80,000 per post, and even her sister, Kim Kardashian, who ranked No. 4 at $720,000.
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