"Every day is
a surprise. I wake up and I can't believe this
is my job and I get to do this."
— Hilary Duff |
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News |
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Feb 22, 2005 |
from
seven |
Olsens and Hilary Duff go
head-to-head
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Arguably the world's most
famous performing twins
until the Veronicas came
along, Mary-Kate and Ashley
Olsen have a battle on their
hands.
Robert Thorne, the marketing
genius behind the
multi-billion dollar
merchandising juggernaut
built around the Olsens, is
working with another A-list
star.
Hollywood sensation Hilary
Duff joined forces with
Thorne in April last year
and they plan to become the
global leader in tween (ages
five to 12) and teen
merchandising.
Thorne, who started as the
twins' entertainment lawyer,
worked with them for 15
years until last year.
"They were four when I first
started and I built the
business brick by brick and
ran it," Thorne said from
the United States.
"I taught them everything I
knew and learnt, and in the
end they wanted to run the
company on their own so they
bought out my interest."
Thorne and Duff are in
direct competition with the
Olsens, who have their own
mary-kateandashley brand.
Following the dissolution of
Thorne's long term
partnership with the Full
House stars, Thorne saw an
opportunity to work with a
leading celebrity and crack
the young market further.
"I felt eager to finish
building the biggest girls -
teen and tween - business in
fashion, beauty and home,"
he said.
At 18, Duff - a musician,
actor and fashion designer -
is one year younger than the
Olsens.
"I saw in Hilary the very
best of the best in terms of
having all the tools
necessary for success,"
Thorne said.
Thorne is the principal of
The Robert Thorne Company, a
management, brand consulting
and strategic planning firm
in Beverly Hills and New
York.
His career spans 25 years
and started with him
receiving a Bachelor of Arts
degree from The University
of California at Berkeley,
Phi Beta Kappa, and another
degree from Hastings College
of Law.
Thorne says the pressures of
being a young businesswoman
don't faze Duff.
"There is no less pressure
on her then there would be
for any businesswoman or
career woman," he said.
"She has a lot of roles and
wears a lot of hats, but has
one rule - to build the best
product and entertainment
business she can.
"She wants the best people
on her team and the best
results. I don't think
that's unusual."
The duo's plan is to build
an international empire with
Duff's products sold in over
15 countries.
"This girl is
multi-talented," Thorne
said.
"I can't fail with her."
Duff visited Australia last
year and Thorne says the,
"cover girl, not tabloid
girl", may be back at the
end of 2006.
Duff's range is already
available from K-Mart stores
nationwide in Australia and
New Zealand. |
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