North West plans to start her own empire, following in the footsteps of her parents.
Her Parents’ Empire
Kim Kardashian: North was born into fame as the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Ye, formerly Kanye West, on June 15, 2013, in Los Angeles, CA, though the couple is now divorced. Kardashian shot to stardom following the success of the reality television show, “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” which aired in 2007 and ran for 20 seasons on E!.
By 2016, Kardashian was the highest-paid reality television star, ringing in $51 million annually and boasting millions of followers across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at the time, TIME reports. As the show was nearing its end, it was reported by Parade she was earning as much as $4.5 million per season.
Kardashian was able to continue her success beyond her time on screen, expanding into business with ventures that included KKW Beauty, which she shut down in 2021 after selling 20% to Coty for $200 million the year prior, according to Forbes.
Today, Kardashian, who boasts a $1.7 billion net worth, is behind SKKN BY KIM, a science-backed skincare line she launched in 2022, as well as SKIMS, a company she co-founded alongside power couple Jens Grede and Emma Grede valued at $4 billion as of 2023, per Forbes.
Ye: SKIMS’ achievement is also being shared by 24-time Grammy winner West, also known as Ye, who has a 5% stake in the company, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.
He has developed his own formula for success in the sector as well through his fashion brand Yeezy, which scored a collaboration first with Nike in 2009. Ye felt undervalued by the company despite launching “the first shoe to have the same level of impact as an Air Jordan,” he told Forbes. Looking for more, his next opportunity materialized with adidas, landing him a deal with 15% royalty on wholesale and a marketing fee.
In 2016, West claimed his shoe releases were selling out of 40,000 pairs within minutes. By 2022, Yeezy, which also expanded to clothing in 2015, was bringing in $2 billion in revenue for adidas, which was nearly 10% of the company’s revenue, per The Washington Post. West was also already a billionaire at this time, although he would lose this status after his net worth plummeted by $1.5 billion when adidas severed ties with the rapper following antisemitic remarks. He is now reportedly worth $400 million, according to Forbes.
Legacy
With the success of both Kardashian and Ye, North quite literally has a north star and blueprint for success. She is already looking to get ahead while she is just 11 years old, with plans to start her own clothing line.
During a conversation moderated by Kardashian for Interview Magazine, she commented, “Well, I am starting my own clothing line.”
Kardashian added, “And what are you going to call it?”
She responded, “North West.”
