5 celebrities who ditched Tinseltown for Wall Street

5 Celebrities who left showbiz for entrepreneurship: Jessica Simpson

Before the Rihannas, the Gwynnies of this world, one celebrity’s company reached unforeseen heights: popstar Jessica Simpson.

Initially, the public discovered Jessica as a singer of the bubblegum-pop trend, which took over the airwaves in the aughts.

After a few albums, movies, and a stint on MTV earning her the reputation of a ditzy blonde, Jessica Simpson launched her shoe collection in collaboration with designer Vince Camuto in 2005.

At that time, the Texan was far from being the only celebrity dabbling in apparel. From teen idols, Mandy Moore and Lindsay Lohan to actor David Hasselhof, celebrity lines were all the rage. Yet, while most of these collections went defunct a few years later, Simpson’s thrived.

As a result of the brand’s subsequent success, Jessica Simpson Collection started expanding, resulting in lines of sunglasses, apparel, and perfumes. Moreover, the products’ success meant a presence on leading retailers’ shelves: Macy’s, Dillard, Lord and Taylor, etc.

In the past decade, Simpson didn’t release any album or film, but her collection became the first celebrity line to pass a billion in sales in 2015. The same year, Sequential Brands purchased from Vince Camuto a 62.5 percent ownership of the collection.

After Sequential Brands went bankrupt in 2019, Simpson and her mom Tina won a lengthy battle to acquire full brand ownership. Not too shabby for a woman who was once dismissed as an airhead.