Kim Kardashian's beauty company to rebrand

On August 1st Kim Kardashian’s KKW Beauty website will be taken offline, in what is to be a rebranding and amalgamation of the company’s beauty and cosmetics products.

In an Instagram post the direct-to-consumer brand said it would shut down its website at midnight and “come back under a completely new brand with new formulas that are more modern, innovative, and packaged in an elevated and sustainable look.” Kardashian continued: “I’m excited to continue to develop and expand my product range, my team is hard at work to improve the customer shopping experience where you will be able to purchase my beauty and cosmetic offerings in all categories from one single website.”

Kardashian is no stranger to rebranding, having changed the original name of her shapewear brand from Kimono to Skims after receiving a public backlash. Many took to social media to voice the name was disrespectful to Japanese culture, where the Kimono is regarded as an integral part of the country’s heritage.

Credit to Kardashian, she listened to social sentiment and changed the name, branding, garment labelling and packaging all before its official launch, which surely would have been a logistical nightmare.

Re-branding for the future

Kardashian’s entrepreneurial instincts will serve her well in her beauty re-brand, as selling from a parent website where product and categories are streamlined under one umbrella will save time, money and win her more customers.

While rumours have said the company’s revamp is due Kardashian’s divorce from Mr Kanye West, the “W” from the brand is not expected to be removed and Kardashian West remains the official surname of its founder.

Beauty giant Coty Inc. is a minority shareholder since acquiring a 20 percent stake in the business but is unclear whether the re-brand is part of a larger strategy to expand into new categories and venture into products that are less associated with Ms Kardashian West. Last august a trademark for a skincare line called ‘Skkn by Kim’ was filed.

While fragrance is a widely successful celebrity-backed product category, skincare is notably different in that consumers expect a scientific ‘solution’ and are less drawn to a famous name than to a formula that ‘works’.