Adam Levine Is Becoming a Fashion Mogul — Who Knew?!
Move over Nicki Minaj and Sofia Vergara! There's a new Kmart celeb superstar in town.
Last month, Adam Levine premiered his new "222" men's fashion line and it was such a huge hit for the retailer that he's launching a women's line, this coming April.
Bernt Ullman, president of Kmart parent company Sears Holdings Corp., told Women's Wear Daily that his company was on cloud nine over the line's success.
"The line is tracking well ahead of plan, which is exciting. We couldn't be happier with the launch and the performance," he said. "There is nothing on the floor that is not working."
Levine's California cool rock star style look for real dudes is now completely outselling fellow Kmart celeb fashionista Minaj's over-the-top flamboyant line. The Maroon 5 frontman describes his collection as being made up of "designs that I would actually have in my closet" and "basic, simple, and timeless." In fact, Ullman even suggested that Levine could be Kmart's own answer to Calvin Klein.
That's a lofty comparison, but flattering nonetheless. Especially considering that Adam has made fun of celebs who lend their names to consumer products in the past.
Of course, Levine, 34, later said he meant this tongue in cheek. He's got his own fragrance too, in addition to being a spokesperson for acne-product line Proactiv and having his own record imprint.
Ullman added that the singer's retail experiment is already Kmart's most successful celebrity collaboration to date. Why has it done so well though? Levine recently told "Access Hollywood" it's because "they let me do whatever I want … if it's a creative endeavor of any kind, and I'm going to lend my name to it, it's gotta be good." In other words, the hipster look works.
Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Sean "Diddy" Combs, J.Lo, Eva Longoria, Victoria Beckham, Gwen Stefani, Katie Holmes, Rihanna, and Kanye West are just a few of the other big names who have ventured into the celebrity fashion line waters. Although Kmart doesn't release sales numbers, we decided to take a look at some other celeb collections to give a comparison of how Levine's might stack up.
According to a 2012 report from Business Insider, the value of these companies ranges from "fun side project" to "fashion mogul" status. At the low end of the spectrum, you've got Nicole Richie's House of Harlow line, which was valued at around $2 million last year. And on the high end of the spectrum, you've got Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, whose empire is worth an estimated $1 billion. Also near the top of the heap — Jay-Z's line at as estimated $700 million, Jessica Simpson at an estimated $750 million, and Kimora Lee Simmons at $800 million.
So, where would Levine's fall on this spectrum? For now, it's definitely on the lower end (hey, it just launched Oct. 1!). But considering how focused and determined he's been to extending his reach beyond just fronting Maroon 5, the sky is the limit. The most comparable trajectory is that of Stefani, whose L.A.M.B. brand is worth an estimated $80 million.
That'll buy an awfully nice ring for his fiancée, Behati Prinsloo!