The Olsen Twins Turn 40 Quietly, and Their Mystery Is Part of the Brand

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, born in Los Angeles on June 13, 1986, became famous before they were even a year old, appearing at just 7 months old on the hit sitcom "Full House." They shared the role of Michelle Tanner until the show ended in 1995, then continued acting in films and television through the next decade.

At 18, in 2004, they took control of their shared company, Dualstar, and expanded into teen products ranging from home goods to perfume. Forbes named them the richest women in entertainment in 2007, estimating their combined net worth at $100 million. They also built early fashion credentials, including Mary-Kate being labeled a fashion icon by The New York Times and the twins becoming the face of Badgley Mischka in 2006.

In 2007, they launched The Row, a luxury fashion brand named after Savile Row in London. They said in an earlier interview with I-D that they did not initially want to be the public faces of the label, which began from Ashley's desire to create the perfect T-shirt. The brand later won CFDA awards in 2012 and 2015. It also became known for secrecy, limited access to shows, and private sample sales in New York.

The article says The Row helped revive American minimalism with a European sense of quality, favoring natural materials, clean tailoring, neutral colors, layered looks, and oversized proportions. Its accessories, including the Margaux bag priced around $3,700 to $5,000, and flat shoes such as the Fay Flat Two at $1,200, became status symbols. The twins' private lives have also drawn attention, including Mary-Kate's eating disorder treatment, her 2020 divorce filing from Olivier Sarkozy, and Ashley's reportedly secret marriage to Louis Eisner and the birth of their son Otto in 2023. On Saturday, the twins quietly marked their shared 40th birthday without any paparazzi glimpse, reinforcing the secrecy that has long surrounded them.