When Justin Bieber stepped onto the Grammys stage this week playing an intimate acoustic version of “Yukon,” it wasn’t just the music that made headlines — his outfit, or lack of one, drew attention to a growing celebrity business trend: stars are increasingly selling underwear and lingerie alongside music and film projects. What started as branded fragrances and spirits has quietly shifted toward riskier apparel ventures that carry different commercial challenges for both celebrities and consumers.
Bieber’s recent public appearance put his new retail venture in the spotlight. Launched in July, his lifestyle label Skylrk sells a small assortment of accessories — from sandals and shades to socks — and a limited run of boxer briefs that reportedly flew off store shelves almost immediately. The performance doubled as promotion for the line, demonstrating how artists are using high-profile moments to drive direct-to-consumer demand.
Sydney Sweeney has taken a bolder tack. The Housemaid actor introduced her lingerie brand Syrn with a viral stunt that involved suspending bras on the Hollywood sign, a move that generated widespread social-media attention and questions about legality. In interviews she’s framed the brand as an expression of choice — collections aimed at confidence with names like Seductress, followed by a Comfy range and a Romantic drop later. Syrn’s sizing reaches into fuller cup sizes, reflecting an effort to cover a broader customer base.
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And the conversation isn’t limited to newcomers. In October, Kim Kardashian’s Skims drew headlines for a novelty collection of micro thongs featuring faux pubic-hair trim in multiple colors and textures — a provocative product choice that sparked both amusement and commentary across entertainment and fashion press.
Recent celebrity intimates — quick snapshot
- Skylrk (Justin Bieber) — lifestyle label launched July; small assortment including boxers that sold out quickly.
- Syrn (Sydney Sweeney) — lingerie brand introduced via a high-visibility stunt; product families include Seductress, Comfy and Romantic; extended sizing available.
- Skims (Kim Kardashian) — established shapewear brand that released a novelty micro-thong line in October featuring faux hair details.
These moves revive an old industry impulse — celebrities monetizing fame through consumer goods — but they’re arriving as the market resets. For more than a decade, celebrity-backed tequila and spirits dominated headlines and deal sheets; George Clooney’s sale of Casamigos for over $1 billion remains a landmark payday in that category. Still, analysts say the boom in spirits may have plateaued as the field became crowded and younger shoppers show lower levels of alcohol consumption.
That shift helps explain why some stars are exploring apparel, but experts caution that clothing is a very different business. Olav Sorenson of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management notes that spirits are largely driven by branding once a recipe is locked in — distribution and marketing do heavy lifting. Apparel, by contrast, demands ongoing design updates, wide size inventories, careful fit testing and management of returns and seasonal cycles.
The practical implications are significant:
- Higher operational complexity — sizing, manufacturing and inventory planning increase costs.
- Consumer risk — fit and quality problems translate into returns and reputational exposure.
- Brand longevity — apparel needs fresh seasonal offerings to sustain interest, unlike shelf-stable spirits.
For consumers, celebrity underwear lines offer novelty and a sense of connection to a public figure, but they also introduce real questions about value and fit that marketing alone can’t fix. For celebrities and investors, underwear is a tougher margin play than a well-marketed bottling — success depends on execution beyond the initial publicity spike.
That said, the visibility of these launches matters in media terms: a Grammys moment or an Instagram stunt can translate into immediate sales and earned attention. Whether the trend grows into a durable category or remains a series of headline-grabbing experiments will depend on whether the brands can meet the harder demands of apparel retail.
Don’t expect every star to pivot from tequila to thong lines overnight. The barriers are higher, the inventories more complex, and the need for sustained product development is real — which means only a few celebrity apparel ventures are likely to endure beyond their first viral moments.
