The moment I read "Chanel owners..." I became worried for The Row. Chanel is now synonymous with quality control problems because maximising their profit share is what matters more to them, not delivering quality products.
My intuition has been telling me that the Row as we knew it is coming to an end. You can see it and I also think other more feminine brands are starting to take center stage again. I love the Row and the twins like everyone else, but the brand is starting to feel boring. Every brand has a moment, then it fades away, then it comes back with a vengeance, then it fades away etc. I’m 60 and in the industry and I can tell you in my lifetime Chanel has fallen out of style two or three times, LV two or three times, Michael Kors, Donna K, Ralph Lauren same. Look at Calvin Klein, it’s barely a brand anymore. But two years from now, it might be the most interesting brand of the moment. Thats how it goes in fashion. One day you’re hot, the next day you’re not. Hermes has even had a “quiet” moment back in the 90’s when Prada started to become more popular. Funny though, I don’t remember Prada ever falling out of style. I think they seem to weather the fickle nature of the industry, she’s brilliant so why not. Marni is making a comeback, Fendi dies all the time, Missoni comes and goes. This is life. Thank you for bringing this news to TH-cam. L’Oréal is an interesting brand and family.
Prada has been killing it since Miuccha took over, it’s consistently in the top performing luxury houses, she indeed really knows what’s she’s doing. I find it interesting that you mention that more feminine brands are starting to take center stage again, I thought it was going in the opposite direction and people are starting to move away from the light, airy and feminine fashion again. If that’s not the case, I’m quite happy tbh, I love feminine and preppy fashion
Phew… so many thoughts… too many for this comment lol 🙈 So all I’ll say is… I PRAY The Row (and if I know them like I think I know them) I truly pray that they will forever stick to their mission statement of quality over everything. My optimism wants so badly to overlook the investors themselves and just look at the bright side which is the added capital. I’ve suspected for a long time that The Row has wanted to launch fine jewelry/costume jewelry, fragrances and sunglasses so I’m hoping this is their way to do that. The curation and brands they’ve partnered with on those fronts are truly the best of the best so I’ve always imagined those collaborations have been them testing the waters so to speak before launching their own versions. I suppose only time will tell and am grateful to have pieces from several different collections thus far during their independent days 🖤
I have several concerns. I had future goals of investing in some of The Row's pieces. I love that they have creative autonomy currently, which, given their history, I would imagine is an important value they carry. Their parents ran them into the ground as children, & exploited them greatly. My understanding is that when they turned 18, they had to go through some legal things to own their fortunes without others from the family dipping their hands into it. With that being said, it concerns me for them creatively. I sincerely hope that they can continue to create high quality clothing, keep it at the current level of production so as to not dwindle the quality... In a nutshell, I just don't want to see them become too commercialized. I have been curious to smell the 3 oils they have created & sell. I love that they only have 3 as it keeps things simple. Quality over quantity has been the overarching theme with their brand it seems, & that is why I hold respect for them. Even though I own nothing of theirs, I have shopped my closet of vintage clothes, & they have inspired my Autumn silhouttes for this year. Helping me to take pause & enjoy my closet. They are helping me usher in a new style as I move towards 38. I looked to them back in the day for fashion when they came out with movies like "Billboard Dad" & "Passport to Paris", 🤣& now 25 years later, I am looking to them again as they are also 38. My dream fashion goal is to take a trip to their LA store, get one of their purses, possibly one of the oils, & hang out with that awesome tree in the store! 🤣 Thank you for posting this Mary, & keeping us informed about the brand. I look forward to The Row updates from you in the future.
I'm surprised too! They've created a successful brand without Chanel and L'Oreal. Hope they're not motivated by greed. Really which we had the real story behind this move. My first impression is that nothing good can come from moving too fast and trying to do too much. Hope I'm wrong.
I’m sure co owning a brand without much support is difficult. It’s not like they’re trying to expand, but seeing how many people were buying into Margaux and even their quiet luxury aesthetic was trend driven, I’m sure the twins were a bit disillusioned…
I just read this as well. You brought up some good points about a potential decline in quality. We shall see... l definitely see a beauty business on the horizon for The Row. I always felt that they should do a high end artisanal/atelier line of fragrances like Tom Ford. Since they have a lot of mature clients. I can see them doing a very high end skin care line like Le Mar. Also see them branching out into sunglasses and fine/costume jewelry. So l can see this investment money helping in these areas and not really affecting the quality of the main line- HOPEFULLY.
I agree 100% that this move could permit The Row to move into perfumes and cosmetics. Additionally the investment could permit them to open more physical stores. Chanel needs a brand that can compete with Hermès on the QL front. The designer at Hermès used to work at The Row. I think it will be very positive
Oh no this has really put me off! I can’t believe they’ve sold out 😢. I always thought they would remain a family type owned brand like brunello cucinelli. Especially selling a stake to someone who owns shares in livestock vaccines which is making its way into our food. I’m absolutely shocked and so disappointed. 😡😡
I think they will add beauty and perfume to their brand. So many brands are doing this these days. Not all with success, but I doubt The Row would fail at this.
Why are you surprised? In capitalism, the tendency toward monopolization is an established fact. This results in monopolies or oligopolies, where a few large firms control the market. Such concentration stifles competition, exploit consumers, and consolidate power and wealth.
These investors are very qualified and most appropriate for TR seeing Chanel is quite strict on its brand. but the brand control at TR, is just so unique and not something other brands can replicate. It’s not heritage, but it goes beyond contemporary (unlike Hermes or Chanel). So to see this is a bit sad. I know it’s tiring for the olsens but the brand probably will not be the same anymore
I don't think this absolutely has to be bad news. The Olsons have had a very strong personal vision from the start and are beyond wealthy, so I don't think they have any temptation to sell out. This could simply be an investment strategy with no aspirations to change the approach.
I trust these investors more than I trust Kering and LVMH. Especially with someone like Lauren Santo Domingo who really values quality and beauty over cheap branding and gimmicks. I’m not sure if the twins needed financing for debt or if they wanted to reap some cash rewards for their efforts, but I’m glad they went this route to select individual investors rather than offering it the the highest bidder which may have been more likely to go the private equity route. And since they still hold the majority of shares, their vision will still be executed.
I understand everyone's concerns but I actually feel like this is purely an investment for The Row capital wise and they haven't "sold out". Quite normal for this to happen in business overtime. It didn't mention how much the stakes were, my assumption is probably small and Mary Kate and Ashley still have majority say. One thing we know forsure is they are not stupid when it comes to business and building a brand, so they aren't just going to change their vision so easily. That being said I find it interesting that they chose more "family" type businesses to invest, instead of big conglomerates. I actually think it is more aligned with their overall vision of being privately owned. The people investing also have their own type of expertise/niche that the Row could look to for advice.
Oh no. Now there's not a snowball's chance that I'll be able to afford a piece of their clothing. Likely the prices will go up. Will the quality go down, like some of the other famous brands?
I don’t understand the negative take here. This is a FANTASTIC move for The Row. More runway capital means more room for innovation and store expansions. The twins are still the majority stakeholders and will still have influence over the direction of the company.
I don’t think this minority stake being purchased will effect The Row’s quality or design aesthetic (not anymore than it’s already been changing with much more casual looks in the last handful of seasons that is). I think the likelihood of this being done as a move to enter into beauty and fragrance is high. The Olsens have all the money in the world but being able to tap into an already proven supply chain is much easier than trying to create one. My only worry is that this could possibly be a slippery slope. I hope they don’t consider selling off more of their business because we’ve seen how this can play out. The 90s was full of brands that got sold off and soon enough the designers/owners jumped ship and the brands were sent into a tailspin. Sort of a separate thing but I wonder if the Olsens ever imagine The Row existing without their involvement? I’ve always imagined they’d go about it like Raf and just decide to end it one day on their own terms.
I, guessing that they would like to move into fragrance and cosmetics, which has very high initial costs so they might have needed the support and finances from investors, however Chanel has not exactly been great at keeping their own quality high, so I really hope that the Row’s quality won’t go down…
Has Chanel invested in a brand before after Isaac Mizrahi in the 90's? Cause this is such an interesting turn of events. Also, some tidbit I learned before is that The Row used to be made in the USA and changed it to Italy to save on costs. I think The Row will use that to invest in a different product line and beauty is the easiest way to go. Maybe they'll sell expensive makeup and skincare. They can grow it like Tom Ford did and now he's resting on billions of dollars from Estee Lauder.
Too Bad. I noticed Mangos latest drop look just like the Row, prices are for example Row coat $3500 verse $350. I’ve never bought on mango have no idea of quality. The Row is simple enough to copy…and Khaite fall drop is magnificent. Her Apollo booty and knee high boots much less expensive….i am receiving Apollo knee high today and have the Row booty, I’m curious if the quality will differ and or the style. Has anybody ever bought anything from Mango if so let me know what u think of quality…
It’s a hit or miss with Mango, but I would consider their items better quality than most fast fashion brands. I mainly go for their coats. Their costume jewelry is pretty good and linen pieces for spring and summer are fairly nice, too. Always be selective when shopping with them looking at the materials used. Overall the pieces I have from Mango I have had for some time now.
The twins have nothing to with all this.. These brands just like in cosmetics, are a product of hedge funds need to invest and create a bubble... then others (investors) are popping in and this is how they create a - brand- . The Olson sisters have no clue about leather, wool, manufacturing, tailoring ..anything. Just like none of those youtubers or selena gomez or ariana ,etc, who have launched cosmetic lines know about formulas, synthetic chemicals, polymerase and ton of other things . this is all just basic business. 😃
You guys are interpreting way too much into these two sisters. Not much substance there. I doubt they have anything to say about all this . They are just a front face . One of them married that French guy who was financially supporting her . And even paying for her medical bills 😂
The moment I read "Chanel owners..." I became worried for The Row. Chanel is now synonymous with quality control problems because maximising their profit share is what matters more to them, not delivering quality products.
My intuition has been telling me that the Row as we knew it is coming to an end. You can see it and I also think other more feminine brands are starting to take center stage again. I love the Row and the twins like everyone else, but the brand is starting to feel boring. Every brand has a moment, then it fades away, then it comes back with a vengeance, then it fades away etc. I’m 60 and in the industry and I can tell you in my lifetime Chanel has fallen out of style two or three times, LV two or three times, Michael Kors, Donna K, Ralph Lauren same. Look at Calvin Klein, it’s barely a brand anymore. But two years from now, it might be the most interesting brand of the moment. Thats how it goes in fashion. One day you’re hot, the next day you’re not. Hermes has even had a “quiet” moment back in the 90’s when Prada started to become more popular. Funny though, I don’t remember Prada ever falling out of style. I think they seem to weather the fickle nature of the industry, she’s brilliant so why not. Marni is making a comeback, Fendi dies all the time, Missoni comes and goes. This is life. Thank you for bringing this news to TH-cam. L’Oréal is an interesting brand and family.
Prada has been killing it since Miuccha took over, it’s consistently in the top performing luxury houses, she indeed really knows what’s she’s doing. I find it interesting that you mention that more feminine brands are starting to take center stage again, I thought it was going in the opposite direction and people are starting to move away from the light, airy and feminine fashion again. If that’s not the case, I’m quite happy tbh, I love feminine and preppy fashion
Even the Jil Sander aesthetic has evolved and changed, under the direction of Luke and Lucie Meier. It’s softer and more colorful.
Mary Kate and Ashely are going to be the next creative directors at Chanel
What a hot take 😊😊
Wow....😮
Stop, this would be unreal
That would be amazing!
I hope not, I dont want them to bring their minimalism style to Chanel. The Row make good stuff but their so simple nothing interesting
Phew… so many thoughts… too many for this comment lol 🙈
So all I’ll say is… I PRAY The Row (and if I know them like I think I know them) I truly pray that they will forever stick to their mission statement of quality over everything. My optimism wants so badly to overlook the investors themselves and just look at the bright side which is the added capital. I’ve suspected for a long time that The Row has wanted to launch fine jewelry/costume jewelry, fragrances and sunglasses so I’m hoping this is their way to do that. The curation and brands they’ve partnered with on those fronts are truly the best of the best so I’ve always imagined those collaborations have been them testing the waters so to speak before launching their own versions. I suppose only time will tell and am grateful to have pieces from several different collections thus far during their independent days 🖤
I have several concerns. I had future goals of investing in some of The Row's pieces. I love that they have creative autonomy currently, which, given their history, I would imagine is an important value they carry. Their parents ran them into the ground as children, & exploited them greatly. My understanding is that when they turned 18, they had to go through some legal things to own their fortunes without others from the family dipping their hands into it. With that being said, it concerns me for them creatively.
I sincerely hope that they can continue to create high quality clothing, keep it at the current level of production so as to not dwindle the quality... In a nutshell, I just don't want to see them become too commercialized. I have been curious to smell the 3 oils they have created & sell. I love that they only have 3 as it keeps things simple. Quality over quantity has been the overarching theme with their brand it seems, & that is why I hold respect for them.
Even though I own nothing of theirs, I have shopped my closet of vintage clothes, & they have inspired my Autumn silhouttes for this year. Helping me to take pause & enjoy my closet. They are helping me usher in a new style as I move towards 38. I looked to them back in the day for fashion when they came out with movies like "Billboard Dad" & "Passport to Paris", 🤣& now 25 years later, I am looking to them again as they are also 38.
My dream fashion goal is to take a trip to their LA store, get one of their purses, possibly one of the oils, & hang out with that awesome tree in the store! 🤣
Thank you for posting this Mary, & keeping us informed about the brand. I look forward to The Row updates from you in the future.
I'm surprised too! They've created a successful brand without Chanel and L'Oreal. Hope they're not motivated by greed. Really which we had the real story behind this move. My first impression is that nothing good can come from moving too fast and trying to do too much. Hope I'm wrong.
I’m sure co owning a brand without much support is difficult. It’s not like they’re trying to expand, but seeing how many people were buying into Margaux and even their quiet luxury aesthetic was trend driven, I’m sure the twins were a bit disillusioned…
I think that you are voicing some real concerns. I don’t know how to feel about this.
That’s said ! It will be quality decrease and crazy price hikes. I quite like the independence of smaller brands. Enough of these giants.
Very very interesting!
The Row is up next in my opinion.
The Elizabeth and James fragrances were fantastic.
you made such a great quality video, very well researched
Just discovered the Row. Love Mary Kate and Ashley. 🌹
I just read this as well. You brought up some good points about a potential decline in quality. We shall see... l definitely see a beauty business on the horizon for The Row. I always felt that they should do a high end artisanal/atelier line of fragrances like Tom Ford. Since they have a lot of mature clients. I can see them doing a very high end skin care line like Le Mar. Also see them branching out into sunglasses and fine/costume jewelry. So l can see this investment money helping in these areas and not really affecting the quality of the main line- HOPEFULLY.
Why would they sell out like this….. 🤔
I agree 100% that this move could permit The Row to move into perfumes and cosmetics. Additionally the investment could permit them to open more physical stores. Chanel needs a brand that can compete with Hermès on the QL front. The designer at Hermès used to work at The Row. I think it will be very positive
Oh no this has really put me off! I can’t believe they’ve sold out 😢. I always thought they would remain a family type owned brand like brunello cucinelli.
Especially selling a stake to someone who owns shares in livestock vaccines which is making its way into our food.
I’m absolutely shocked and so disappointed. 😡😡
I think they will add beauty and perfume to their brand. So many brands are doing this these days. Not all with success, but I doubt The Row would fail at this.
Ohhh absolutely this will happen I think.
Why are you surprised? In capitalism, the tendency toward monopolization is an established fact.
This results in monopolies or oligopolies, where a few large firms control the market.
Such concentration stifles competition, exploit consumers, and consolidate power and wealth.
These investors are very qualified and most appropriate for TR seeing Chanel is quite strict on its brand. but the brand control at TR, is just so unique and not something other brands can replicate. It’s not heritage, but it goes beyond contemporary (unlike Hermes or Chanel). So to see this is a bit sad. I know it’s tiring for the olsens but the brand probably will not be the same anymore
You should have a podcast!
I don't think this absolutely has to be bad news. The Olsons have had a very strong personal vision from the start and are beyond wealthy, so I don't think they have any temptation to sell out. This could simply be an investment strategy with no aspirations to change the approach.
I love your optimism, I hope you're right. You do make a valid point, money is not a concern for them.
Cheap quality = Investors
These children ceased [ ] many years ago. Yet here we are. Sad.
VERY interesting!
i hope this won't be a hostile takeover.
I trust these investors more than I trust Kering and LVMH. Especially with someone like Lauren Santo Domingo who really values quality and beauty over cheap branding and gimmicks. I’m not sure if the twins needed financing for debt or if they wanted to reap some cash rewards for their efforts, but I’m glad they went this route to select individual investors rather than offering it the the highest bidder which may have been more likely to go the private equity route. And since they still hold the majority of shares, their vision will still be executed.
I understand everyone's concerns but I actually feel like this is purely an investment for The Row capital wise and they haven't "sold out". Quite normal for this to happen in business overtime. It didn't mention how much the stakes were, my assumption is probably small and Mary Kate and Ashley still have majority say. One thing we know forsure is they are not stupid when it comes to business and building a brand, so they aren't just going to change their vision so easily. That being said I find it interesting that they chose more "family" type businesses to invest, instead of big conglomerates. I actually think it is more aligned with their overall vision of being privately owned. The people investing also have their own type of expertise/niche that the Row could look to for advice.
Oh no. Now there's not a snowball's chance that I'll be able to afford a piece of their clothing. Likely the prices will go up. Will the quality go down, like some of the other famous brands?
I don’t understand the negative take here. This is a FANTASTIC move for The Row. More runway capital means more room for innovation and store expansions. The twins are still the majority stakeholders and will still have influence over the direction of the company.
I don't like the luxury cosmetics by loreal, such as ysl, amarni, prada, valentino etc, they all feel very cheap, cash grab
I don’t think this minority stake being purchased will effect The Row’s quality or design aesthetic (not anymore than it’s already been changing with much more casual looks in the last handful of seasons that is). I think the likelihood of this being done as a move to enter into beauty and fragrance is high. The Olsens have all the money in the world but being able to tap into an already proven supply chain is much easier than trying to create one.
My only worry is that this could possibly be a slippery slope. I hope they don’t consider selling off more of their business because we’ve seen how this can play out. The 90s was full of brands that got sold off and soon enough the designers/owners jumped ship and the brands were sent into a tailspin.
Sort of a separate thing but I wonder if the Olsens ever imagine The Row existing without their involvement? I’ve always imagined they’d go about it like Raf and just decide to end it one day on their own terms.
Great! Another brand destroyed by shareholders 🙄 we are all so happy.
Wow you’re fast! I just read this article. I wonder why the Olsen accepted this deal. Perhaps they want to enter the beauty/perfume market.
I, guessing that they would like to move into fragrance and cosmetics, which has very high initial costs so they might have needed the support and finances from investors, however Chanel has not exactly been great at keeping their own quality high, so I really hope that the Row’s quality won’t go down…
Has Chanel invested in a brand before after Isaac Mizrahi in the 90's? Cause this is such an interesting turn of events. Also, some tidbit I learned before is that The Row used to be made in the USA and changed it to Italy to save on costs. I think The Row will use that to invest in a different product line and beauty is the easiest way to go. Maybe they'll sell expensive makeup and skincare. They can grow it like Tom Ford did and now he's resting on billions of dollars from Estee Lauder.
Too Bad. I noticed Mangos latest drop look just like the Row, prices are for example Row coat $3500 verse $350. I’ve never bought on mango have no idea of quality. The Row is simple enough to copy…and Khaite fall drop is magnificent. Her Apollo booty and knee high boots much less expensive….i am receiving Apollo knee high today and have the Row booty, I’m curious if the quality will differ and or the style. Has anybody ever bought anything from Mango if so let me know what u think of quality…
It’s a hit or miss with Mango, but I would consider their items better quality than most fast fashion brands. I mainly go for their coats. Their costume jewelry is pretty good and linen pieces for spring and summer are fairly nice, too. Always be selective when shopping with them looking at the materials used. Overall the pieces I have from Mango I have had for some time now.
This equates to higher output and lower quality. It is the beginning of the end for the brand 😢
Damn Olsen twins, do you really need more money?
First Polene x LVMH and now this lol
expand production of margaux?
nooooooooooooooo
The twins have nothing to with all this.. These brands just like in cosmetics, are a product of hedge funds need to invest and create a bubble... then others (investors) are popping in and this is how they create a - brand- . The Olson sisters have no clue about leather, wool, manufacturing, tailoring ..anything. Just like none of those youtubers or selena gomez or ariana ,etc, who have launched cosmetic lines know about formulas, synthetic chemicals, polymerase and ton of other things . this is all just basic business. 😃
The get it right. If I were President of the United States they’d definetly be an American staple in my wardrobe 😉
You guys are interpreting way too much into these two sisters. Not much substance there. I doubt they have anything to say about all this . They are just a front face . One of them married that French guy who was financially supporting her . And even paying for her medical bills 😂