Can TikTok stars build brands for digital natives?

Abercrombie & Fitch is launching a standalone apparel brand, called Social Tourist, with TikTok stars and sisters, Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, in an effort to reach always-on generations. Described as “TikTok's most famous sisters” by People magazine in a preview of the launch, Charli, 17, and Dixie, 19, have more than 166 million followers combined on the video app. Charli became the first TikTok user In November 2020 to surpass 100 million followers on the platform. Across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the pair have nearly 250 million followers. The line is launching May 20 with select pieces in stores at Hollister, Abercrombie’s teen chain. The full 80-piece collection is available online at Hollister.com and socialtourist.com. Each collection will include limited-edition items and new products will drop approximately every month. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz7c77euR0w[/embed] Abercrombie first began working with the D’Amelio sisters last July for Hollister’s back-to-school campaign with new products debuting through the back half. A MoreHappyDenimDance TikTok challenge spearheaded by the pair garnered over 5.4 billion views worldwide. “Charli and Dixie are the quintessential example of what it’s like to grow up in the digital world, and we've always believed they authentically represent our teen customers’ mindset both online and in real life,” said Kristin Scott, global brand president at Abercrombie, in a statement. The sisters have a multi-year agreement with Abercrombie and are involved with product selection, design, branding, positioning and marketing beyond fronting the brand on social media. Their father, Marc D’Amelio, a fashion-industry veteran, serves as a consultant. Online bloggers and influencers have increasingly collaborated with retailers and brands on apparel, beauty and jewelry lines, particularly limited-edition drops. A standout has been Arielle Charnas’s Something Navy collection for Nordstrom. The scale and ambition of Social Tourist set it apart. “Essentially, it’s a first-ever social commerce line that will be sold through two incredible influencers,” Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz told WWD. A survey of just over 5,000 marketing professionals as part of Influencer Marketing Hub's “Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2021” report found 90 percent believing influencer marketing to be an effective form of marketing.

• Charli and Dixie D’Amelio and Hollister Co. Launch New Fashion Brand, Social Tourist – Abercrombie & Fitch/GlobeNewswire
• Introducing Social Tourist – Hollister
• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Launches Social Tourist, a New Brand for the Cohort Who Grew Up Online – WWD
• Charli and Dixie D'Amelio Launch Their Own Clothing Line for Hollister Co. – People
• Charli and Dixie Have a New Clothing Line – Paper Magazine
• ‘Nordstrom is a unicorn’: How the department store finds success with influencer collabs – Glossy
• Can fashion bloggers become brands? – RetailWire
• The State of Influencer Marketing 2021: Benchmark Report – Influencer Marketing Hub
• Pandemic Boosted Importance Of Branded Content And Influencer Marketing – Advertising Perceptions