A double act that took business by storm
They are known for their great sense of style, particularly Mary Kate, who the New York Times declared a Fashion icon for pioneering her signature (and now popular among celebrities and fans alike) "homeless" look. The style, sometimes referred to by fashion journalists as "ashcan"or"bohemian-bourgeois",is similar to the boho-chic style popularized in Britain by Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. The look consists of oversized sunglasses, boots, loose sweaters, and flowing skirts, with an aesthetic of mixing high-end and low-end pieces. Ashley's sometimes controversial fashion choices have often found her on both the best and worst dressed fashion lists, particularly for her decision to wear fur.In 2007, they launched Elizabeth & James, a contemporary collection inspired by many of their unique vintage finds and pieces in their personal wardrobes. They have also released a women's clothing line for J.C. Penney, called Olsenboye, and a t-shirt line called "StyleMint".
The Olsen's have also launched their own couture fashion label, "The Row", named after Savile Row in London. The Row's style is defined by a sense of discreet luxury, focusing on clean lines, fine fabrics and the perfect fit. In the six years since its inception, The Row has expanded to include a complete range of ready-to-wear, luxury eyewear and handbags. The collection is predominantly manufactured in the USA with handbags and a selection of knitwear being made in Italy. It was when Ashley founded The Row that the twins began to turn heads and gain respect from the rest of the fashion industry. The Row was created in her desire to make a luxurious white t-shirt to suit many different types of women. She meticulously tested the shirt on several women, from ages 20 to 60, to get the cut, fit, and attitude just right. I thought this was a good start seeing as jeans and a t-shirt is the classic American uniform. The collection, even in its simplicity, is extremely wearable and often in beautiful blush tones. The pieces in it are also very versatile and can be dismantled as separates, which is pretty much, everything a woman wants and needs in her closet.
When talking about their website for, The Row, the girls have said, “We
don’t do much online shopping,” Ashley admitted. “But we spent a lot of time
researching other online shops when developing our site. We wanted to focus on
making The Row’s online shop easy to use and bring a level of tangibility we
felt was missing from most of the market.” “We wanted our customers to have
access to 360-degree views of every piece from the collection and be able to
see extreme close-ups of each garment,” Ashley added. “Sometimes there’s a
disconnect between what an item looks and feels like in person and how it’s
presented online; we’ve worked to eliminate that."They have certainly established themselves in the Fashion industry and
proved this by recently taking home the CDFA ‘Womenswear Designer of the Year’
award. The twins showed up in incredible fashion. Mary Kate donned a new
brunette hairdo along with a black dress from her and sister Ashley’s line,
along with Sidney Graber jewelry and Louis Vuitton heals. Ashley dressed in
purple for the event. They looked stunning and I think they really deserve the
award. Many child actors/actresses disappear into the unknown when they get
older but these girls have worked hard to create a new career for themselves
and they certainly have the talent to go far.
By Louise Elsom
Stories on Fashion