But why does it resonate so much in 2024? And what does its impact mean for brands?

The impact of the Kylie brand

MaryLeigh Bliss, head of content at Gen Z and millennial search agency YPulse, attributes Jenner’s enduring appeal to her knack for making unattainable aspirations surprisingly accessible. “Even though Kylie might not have been the star of her family’s reality TV show (Keeping Up With the KardashiansNOW The Kardashians), she became the star of social media, where she was – at least initially – more approachable and approachable than the rest of her family. Jonny Johansson, creative director of Acne Studios, says that “despite being part of the most famous family in the world, (Kylie) has this outsider side that’s unexpected,” speaking of her endearing frankness, even as her image and his lifestyle became more and more refined.

The most digitally savvy of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, she embraced early social platforms like Vine and Snapchat, establishing the template for social media stardom by balancing authenticity and aspiration. During her eponymous “King Kylie” era from 2015 to 2016, defined by bold hair colors and heavy, matte beauty looks, Jenner resonated deeply with her predominantly Gen Z fan base, always online through her relevant portrait of teenage life, and later, motherhood, even against the backdrop of celebrity.

Alongside her ambitious Fashion Week content and campaign shoots, Jenner is leveraging popular social media formats like #GRWMdaily vlogs and cooking videos. Or comedic carpool videos with her best friend and influencer Anastasia Karanikolaou (or “StassieBaby”), where they try menus from The Cheesecake Factory (garnering 6.2 million views on TikTok) or go to the famous restaurant chain fast from Los Angeles In-N-Out. “Many Gen Z and Millennial fans have experienced life stages with her,” Bliss says, describing their strong parasocial bond. Simar Deol, foresight analyst at strategic consultancy The Future Laboratory, adds: “This realized authenticity is precisely what appeals to younger audiences, particularly Gen Z.”

Later, in a break from her previous ultra-glam campaigns, Jenner adopted a typically Scandinavian clean look to present the fall-winter ‘Dirty Denim’ collection from Swedish brand Acne Studios. Captured by Dutch photographer Carlijn Jacobs in distressed, “fuzzy” denim, Jenner shared a behind-the-scenes video on her Instagram, valued at $1.5 million MIV, according to Launchmetrics. The campaign was very successful. In two weeks, his influence generated $9.4 million in IVM for acne. Mattias Magnusson, CEO of Acne Studios, noted that “customers are still asking for the ‘Kylie bag’ (the multi-pocket style launched via the campaign)”, confirming it as a top seller. “Kylie’s global appeal has driven sales in the US, Europe and key Asian markets – a rare success in any market.” Creative director Johansson adds: “For someone so powerful, she always feels underappreciated, associating herself with someone like her, who embodies both status and spirit, is truly unique. »

Building your empire: from Kylie Cosmetics to Khy

In 2019, Jenner sold a 51% stake in Kylie Cosmetics – the makeup brand she launched in 2015, years before the emergence of Gen Z celebrity brands like Rhode or Rare Beauty – to the giant Coty beauty for $600 million. The sale valued Kylie Cosmetics at approximately $1.2 billion. According to Circana data, its 2024 fragrance topped the U.S. women’s fragrance chart from January to March (although Coty declined to provide specific sales data).