Kim Kardashian's Net Worth Shows She's 'Doing Amazing, Sweetie'
Years ago, Kim Kardashian set out to prove she was more than just a reality star — mission accomplished. With a net worth of $1.8 billion, she is now the richest member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, and everything she touches turns to gold.
From her successful businesses to her social media influence, Kim Kardashian is nothing short of inspiring. With the third season of Hulu's "The Kardashians" fast approaching, lets take a look at her net worth and how she became the richest member of her family.
Early Days and a Famous Father
Before Kim Kardashian became a household name, her dad, Robert Kardashian, was the most well-known member of the family.
He and his then-wife, Kris, were close friends of O.J. Simpson and his then wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. When O.J. Simpson became a suspect in Nicole's murder, Robert Kardashian represented him.
Kris and Robert Kardashian divorced in 1991, and he died of cancer in 2003. Kris married Olympian Bruce Jenner in the 1990s. While the family was always affluent, they were nowhere near as wealthy as they are today.
Working as Paris Hilton's Assistant
In 2003, Kim worked as a personal stylist to singer Brandy. In 2006, she got a job as friend Paris Hilton's assistant. She even appeared with Paris and gal pal Nicole Ritchie on "The Simple Life."
The two are still friends today. "I really would want to do anything for her. She literally gave me a career," Kim said.
At about that time, she, along with sisters Kourtney and Khloe, opened their DASH clothing and accessory boutiques in Los Angeles and New York.
Video Notoriety
If people didn't know who Kim Kardashian was before 2007, they would come to know her after a sex tape of her and then-boyfriend Ray J (Brandy's younger brother) leaked on the Internet.
Porn distributor Vivid Entertainment bought the rights to the video and released "Kim Kardashian, Superstar." The video earnings reportedly were about $100 million.
Kim initially sued Vivid to stop its release, but eventually settled the lawsuit for $5 million. The same year, "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" (KUWTK) made its debut on E!
The Kardashians and Reality TV Fame
KUWTK premiered hot on the heels of Kim's sex tape, and quickly propelled her and her family to fame. The show became one of the most watched reality shows of all time and lasted 20 seasons.
It is estimated that Kim made $4.5 to $5 million per season. On "The Ellen DeGeneres Show,"momager Kris confirmed that the cash was equally split among everyone. Kim, therefore made about $25 million for five seasons before Kris’s cut.
When the show ended in 2021, the family signed a new deal with Hulu for $100 million for "The Kardashians," which is now on season 3. Each member of the Kardashian/Jenners makes about $8.3 million per season.
Avatar Fame and Fortune
Kim's game app, "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood" debuted in 2014 to great success. Players gain access to the A-list by doing everything from booking modeling and acting gigs to dating.
In its first five days, "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood" made $1.6 million. Within three months, it had nearly 23 million players and made about $44 million.
It made Kim so successful she was on her first "Forbes" cover in 2016. That year, the game made $160 million.
Kim's Social Media Influence and Endorsements
Kim Kardashian is the undisputed queen of social media. Her Instagram page has 356 million followers alone. When she decides to promote a brand on social, that brand always makes money, and she is paid handsomely for the promotion.
In 2018, she sued Missguided USA, who was said to be using her likeness to sell cheap fast fashion. It was revealed in court documents that (at that time) she made $300,000 to $500,000 per Instagram post.
Launching KKW Beauty
KKW Beauty was Kim's first big beauty line. It started with contour kits and expanded to eye kits, lip kits, and other makeup. She also started KKW Fragrances around that time.
In 2017, she owned 72 percent of the company (about $500 million) and sold a 20 percent stake in it to makeup giant COTY for $200 million. In April 2022, she closed KKW Beauty for a rebrand. It is now SKKN by Kim.
Skims, Kim's Fashion Line
In 2019, Kim started Skims, her shapewear brand for women of all sizes. Skims has since grown to include swimwear, loungewear, bras, and even socks in different seasonal lines.
In 2021, Skims partnered with the U.S. Olympics team to provide athleisure for Team USA during the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Skims also partnered with Italian luxury design house Fendi in 2021 to create shapewear, dresses, and swimsuits, which generated $3 million in sales within minutes of the line's release.
Skims was valued at $3.2 billion in 2022. Kim currently owns 35 percent of the company.
The Face of Balenciaga
Kim was a Balenciaga muse, and due to their relationship with the reality star, the century-old Spanish luxury design house has seen its success skyrocket.
For the 2021 Met Gala, she wore an ensemble by Balenciaga that completely covered her face. After the event, Google searches for Balenciaga increased 505 percent.
In 2022, Kim was named brand ambassador for Balenciaga and walked the runway for the designer for its Paris Fashion Week show in July 2022. However, later in the year, she said she was "re-evaluating" her relationship with the brand after its very public scandal. While she has started wearing Balenciaga again in recent months, she's also aligned herself with other labels, like Rick Owens and Dolce & Gabbana.
Kim's $60 Million Mansion
After Kim and ex-husband Kanye West divorced in 2021, Kim kept their $60 million mansion in Hidden Hills, California, paying $23 million for his share.
They bought the home together in 2014 for $20 million, and it took four years to upgrade it to their specifications.
The monochrome-styled house has 15,000 square feet of living space and includes eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
SKKN by Kim
SKKN by Kim (under which KKW Beauty is now rebranded) launched on June 21, 2022. So far, Kim has introduced a skincare line that costs $630.
While that may seem expensive, she said: "The products I was using that were comparable were way more expensive, not to compare anything. I tried to get the quality for the best price that we could, especially the vitamin C serum."
It is said that SKKN by Kim earned $240 million in funding in January 2022 and already has a value of $3.2 billion.
A Collab with Beats
We don't yet know how much Kim made in her recent collaboration with Beats. But you can be sure it's a pretty penny.
In August 2022, she launched her neutral-colored Beats Fit Pro earbuds, presumably to match any Skim ensemble. Kim’s version of the earbuds retails for about $200.
There's no doubt this venture will add to Kim's bank account and increase her net worth.
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