Is Jessica Simpson's Weight Gain the Secret to Her $1 Billion Fashion Empire?
By Danica Lo, Glamour magazine
In a recent interview, singer-turned-actress-turned-fashion-mogul Jessica Simpson-analysts estimate that her apparel, shoes, and accessories empire will earn more than $1 billion this year-says that not being super-skinny makes her more relatable to women and, thereby, strengthens her brand. Really? Gaining weight, eating like a normal person, and getting made fun of in weekly celebrity tabloids is good for business? Well, count me in!
Related: The Top 10 Ways to Wake Up Prettier
"I got so much scrutiny for putting on extra pounds, but I think that the decision not to make myself anorexic was actually great for branding," Simpson told Lucky. "Because when you're really, really skinny, not everybody can relate to you."
Here's a confession: I've always been on #TeamJessica-ever since she released that music video of her singing in front of a propeller plane, all throughout the Newlyweds years, onwards past her stint as Daisy Duke, and even these days, when she's rarely in front of the camera or on the red carpet. There's something about her real-girl struggles with food (Remember when she ate carbs for the first time in, like, two years on an episode of Newlyweds? Remember her issues with tuna-chicken?), love, her family dynamics, and trying out a heap of different career paths that always really resonated with me... or, at least, endeared her to me.
See also:12 Secret Signs He's Into You
But who knew that not being super-thin would help a celebrity move merch-to the tune of $1 billion. That concept runs almost in direct opposition to conventional marketing and advertising beliefs-which pretty much claim that people would rather buy things from the people they'd like to become, not the people they are now (does that make sense?).
What do you think? Do you think that Jessica Simpsons' anti-anorexic stance has helped her business grow? Do you think that same strategy would work for Melissa McCarthy, who's recently said she's launching a plus-size clothing line? What about Kim Kardashian? Do you think that part of her appeal is that (even though she's very petite), she's not stick-thin? What other celebs do you like (or dislike) because they are a certain body type?
PLUS...
· Jessica Simpson confirms her pregnancy
· Jessica Simpson to mentor aspiring designers on TV
· Do we really need plus-size fitting rooms?
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Photo Credit: Fairchild Archive
