TikTok Stars Charli, Dixie D'Amelio to Start Own House of Brands

tech.hindustantimes.com:

The social media stars of the D'Amelio family have raised funds to start their own brands as they look to grow their own business rather than focus solely on influencer deals.

Investors including Fanatics Inc. Chief Executive Officer Michael Rubin, Apple Inc.'s Eddy Cue and Autograph co-chairman Richard Rosenblatt took part in the $6 million financing round set to be announced Tuesday. Lions Gate Entertainment head Jon Feltheimer and United Talent Agency also backed the new venture as it hires staff and prepares to debut its first products in the coming months.

The D'Amelios have amassed one of social media's largest audiences, with nearly 400 million followers across platforms, since sisters Charli and Dixie became prominent personalities on TikTok in 2019. Charli is now the second most-popular creator on the short-form video app with more than 146 million followers.

D'Amelio Brands plans to begin with a women's footwear line and a skincare label to be released by the end of the year, with the sisters active in product development, design and promotion. Goods will be primarily sold direct-to-consumer but management is also considering retail partnerships. Their father Marc D'Amelio will run the new operation, which has already integrated the family's existing fan merchandise shops. He's also weighing entry into more categories within the fashion, consumer packaged goods and food sectors.

D'Amelio said the concept is to take what the family has been doing with their brand deals, which often don't include equity, and bring the process in-house. In recent years, the creator economy has birthed all sorts of businesses as influencers seek to branch out beyond the usual endorsements and paid posts to better monetize their