‘It’s the Kim effect’: Inside the Kardashians’ mega influence worth billions

The so-called Kardashian effect is bigger than ever, with the family’s influence branded unrivalled – and it’s worth mega bucks.

Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian’s wedding had a huge impact on trends. Picture: AFP

The so-called “Kardashian effect” is bigger than ever, with the family’s influence branded “unmatched” – and worth mega bucks.

After Kourtney Kardashian wore Dolce & Gabbana dresses for her multiple weddings to Travis Barker, searches for the Italian luxury brand surged.

The impact on sales was almost immediate. In the wake of her Portofino nuptials – which followed a small wedding in Santa Barbara and a “practice” run in Las Vegas – demand for D&G was up by 114 per cent globally, a leading trend forecaster reported.

Lyst noted a spike in demand for “bridal mini” dresses, with demand for corsets – a key feature of Kourtney’s goth-esque wedding styling – up by 33 per cent.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, wearing Dolce & Gabbana, tied the knot in Italy. Picture: BACKGRID Australia

The bride wore multiple D&G dresses, including this black ‘bridal mini’. Picture: BACKGRID Australia

Launchmetrics, which sources data about brand performance, said that the “Kravis” three-day wedding weekend earned “$25.4 million in Media Impact Value” for Dolce & Gabbana, driven by the Kardashians and Jenners’ Instagram posts, according to the New York Times.

They are among the most bankable faces in the world, and everything they touch turns to gold – or a shimmering shade of golden-hued highlighter.

Kim Kardashian went from reality star to Vogue cover-worthy fashion icon thrusting herself to billionaire status.

And the influence of the Kardashians and Jenners is being felt not only internationally, but in Australia.

‘It’s the Kim effect.’ Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala. Picture: Getty Images

Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian. Picture: Getty Images

Her “solutionwear” and loungewear brand, Skims, launched into David Jones last year (the department store also stocks Khloe Kardashian’s size-inclusive Good American line, which counts The Iconic among its retailers).

Kim is soon to unveil her new skincare line, SKKN by Kim, which replaces her former brands KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance. And Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin ranges are sold at Mecca.

This is all in addition to the family’s reported “nine figure” collective salary for new Disney + reality series, The Kardashians – the follow-up to their former E! show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

It’s not just the Kardashian and Jenner-owned brands that are enjoying success – their inner-circle is as well.

A cosmetics line by Kim’s long-time makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic – Makeup By Mario – was born out from Dedivanovic’s huge following, having worked with Kim since 2008.

Dedivanovic was instrumental in developing Kim’s signature “contoured” and “highlighted” makeup look, expanding his namesake brand into Australian Sephora stores.

A family affair! Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian. Picture: AFP

“I met Kim on a shoot, we were both in her 20s,” Dedivanovic said, speaking from New York.

“All of the influence and trends in makeup sort of impact that she has had on the makeup industry, none of it was planned – it was kind of innocent.

“We were having fun and we were sharing it. The timing aspect of it, it was the perfect storm – it was when all of the (social) platforms were starting. We were there at that moment. And here we are, over a decade later.

“For the first several years, because I wasn’t active on YouTube, I had no idea of the influence.

“It was the Instagram years, that’s where I started to see, really, the impact – this whole contour craze happened.
“It’s pretty incredible and I feel almost not worthy of it. I was just being myself.

“I credit it all to her. It’s the Kim effect for sure. There’s something about Kim that everyone loves – men and women, alike.

“Her influence is unmatched in beauty and fashion, in every facet you can imagine. I just happened to be lucky that she chose me.”

The couple known as ‘Kravis’. Picture: AFP

The woman who started it all – Kris Jenner. Picture: AFP

The mega influence of the Kardashians may look effortless … but it’s not.

Their “momager” Kris Jenner is at the forefront of her daughters’ deals, overseeing “how to build an infrastructure, how to strategise and how to negotiate”.

“They’ve mastered all the things that really matter about running a business because they’re so hands-on; they’re doing things they truly love and are passionate about,” Kris told Stellar, en route to a business meeting in Los Angeles.

“The key to everybody’s success is finding something that you love, and go out there and figure out how to make that a viable business.

“They’re in control of their own brands – I think [about] having them realise their own individual dynasties.”

Dynasty is almost an understatement. The selling power of the Kardashians and Jenners is “unrivalled” and they have created the biggest personal brands in the world.

And that influence that is no longer contained to the US – or reality TV.

Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian. Picture: Getty Images

Kylie Jenner’s businesses include Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin, both sold at Mecca in Australia. Picture: Getty Images

Vogue Australia fashion features director Alice Birrell said the impact of Kourtney’s wedding on trends “can’t be overstated”.

“Every move this family makes has a sartorial ripple effect,” Birrell said.

“Expect to see a lot more corsets … intricate coloured or maxi-veils and healthy helpings of lace on the wedding circuit, not to mention in fashion more broadly.
“The lingerie-inspired look and a preference for mini-length wedding dresses are trends we’ve been seeing for seasons now, but Kourtney’s nuptials have just ensured their staying power.”

Birrell said Kourtney’s D&G wedding tie-in was the kind of endorsement “brands dream of”.

“Money can’t buy – and that’s the point. Anyone adding a corsetted dress to cart is buying a dress, and the dream.”

The Kardashians and Jenners have built businesses and made billions off the back of their millions of Instagram followers (Kim alone has an audience of 314 million on the social media platform).

“We trust people that are influential. People follow the Kardashians because it’s all about telling the stories of other people’s lives, and trying to aspire to have those lives,” viral marketing expert Brent Coker, of The University of Melbourne, said.

“With the whole influencer market, people tend to trust what celebrities are saying,” Coker said.

“They’re seen as more independent, and (followers) trust their taste because it comes across as authentic.”

For a family whose behaviour is often accused of being “fake” and attention-seeking, their influence is a reality.

Originally published as ‘It’s the Kim effect’: Inside the Kardashians’ mega influence worth billions