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Jared Leto is getting into the beauty business. The actor is launching his first mainstream brand, Twentynine Palms, which he describes as “an eclectic, non-traditional creative presence.” Among a slew of big-name celebrity brand launches, can Gucci’s most famous male muse stand out?
At launch, there will be 12 skin and body products, including face wash ($39), face moisturizer ($87), hydrating serum ($69), clay mask ($95), hand and body washes (each $47), and shampoos and conditioners (each $54). There will also be a limited edition scarf featuring artwork by Swiss artist and photographer Douglas Mandry. The range will be sold via the brand’s e-commerce site, as well as in Dover Street Market stores in New York, Los Angeles and London, and its beauty store in Paris.
Twentynine Palms aims to be bigger than beauty and will expand into other categories including fragrances, homewares and designer items. Expect more creative collaborations in 2023. “Twentynine Palms is a creative playground with many products in development,” says Leto, who was in London for the city’s Frieze contemporary art fair. “It’s a place where my creative and business interests intersect.”
Leto is already an investor in over 200 companies (some of his more serendipitous investments include Slack, Spotify, Uber, Airbnb, and Reddit). He also co-founded social network The Hive, streaming provider VyRT, and experiences company Adventures in Wonderland. However, he says this latest venture represents his most significant decision to date in building a brand.
Differentiation will be key. The launches of famous brands are accelerating, particularly in beauty and well-being. In September, Kate Moss launched Cosmoss, a beauty brand based on wellness principles (she sells tea bags for £20 and face creams for £95). That same month, Brad Pitt unveiled Le Domaine, his genderless skincare brand, which includes a $385 serum and $310 fluid cream. Other launches this year include Kim Kardashian’s Skkn by Kim, Hailey Bieber’s Rhode and Ciara’s OAM Skin, among others. Yet famous beauty brands still account for a tiny fraction of the US beauty industry’s sales volume of $355 million, accounting for 7% of sales in the US beauty market, followed by fragrances at 2% and skin and hair care at 1. percent, according to NPD data.
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