Florence By Mills

[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] This Gen Z focussed brand hit headlines this week as 16 year old Milly Bobby Brown (star of Stranger Things and Enola Holmes) bought the majority stake in her own beauty brand, Florence By Mills. Behind the scenes, the machine is headed up by CEO Paula Pontes (previously Estee Lauder, Glam Glow, Victoria’s Secret) who will ably see it diversify and expand.

Florence By Mills

You never do quite know how the finances of celebrity owned brands are shared out – often brand incubators or venture capitalists own the bulk interest in the brands which means they take the bulk of the money. Florence By Mills was founded in 2019 with the Beach House Group (incubators and brand builders for Kendall Jenner’s oral care brand, Moon, for example) but was heavily rumoured for sale in 2020 – a fast turn around by any standards.

Florence By Mills

I like the way that this acquisition by a 16 year old (and her family) sets an example for the very people it is made for. Maybe they’ll see that promoting other people’s brands on the ‘gram is a very short term gain and that laying foundations for the future rather than living in the now becomes a realistic aspiration. Social media is a hot bed of manipulation – on both sides – people come to it with the full intention of promoting other people’s brands for a fraction of what they make for the brands in the fleeting moments before the brands move on to the next influencer. I honestly think many don’t realise there are other options – that they can have an opinion, that they can say no and that if they’re doing a great job for brands, they can do a great job for themselves. Gen Z (16-22) isn’t so easily influenced – for every social media trend report that they spend the most amount of time on social media, you’ll find another to say they’re turning their back on it completely. What they do want though is brands with resonance – something that aligns with their own life and ethos (Florence is vegan and cruelty free – obvs) and speaks to them from a recognisable voice.

Florence By Mills

Because the background work on branding was done so well in the first place, Florence already looks like a brand in it for the long haul. Milly Bobby Brown loves whales – so of course there are whale facts and references everywhere, down to the Swimming Under the Eyes Gel Pads that are shaped like whales which subliminally reference environmental and animal welfare issues.

Florence By Mills

I mean, why are we saving these for Gen Z’s – I want them! Wasted on the age-group that is least likely to need their under-eyes hydrating :-). I positively like this brand for a number of reasons but not least because it doesn’t rely on unrealistic imagery or unattainability and is carving a distinct path through a pile of sameness. Oh, and there’s a lovely creme blush that’s age irrelevant – as pretty on one age as another.

Florence By Mills

This is Stellar Sabrina giving sakura vibes (£10.50 HERE reduced from £14) along with the palest concealer I’ve ever seen in F005. Non-affiliate is HERE. 


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6 responses to “Florence By Mills”

  1. Lizzie

    Are the whale-shaped gel pads biodegradable? I do hope so. They look fun and non-permanent.

    1. Jane Cunningham

      Doesn’t say that they are 🙁

  2. Catherine

    Perfect presents for my niece…..and for me!!

  3. Jo Mille Saisons

    I’ve seen this brand in Boots and online and I have been tempted too! It’s treads a great line between Glossier-esque for Gen Z but still appealing for a much wider age range. Even more interesting to know Milly Bobby Brown has bought a majority stake. Seems to show intention to stick with it than put her name on it and then cut it loose too?
    I love under eye patches and I love make up and skincare with cute animals so whale eye patches sound like a winner already!

    1. Jane Cunningham

      I thought of it more as a savvy investment – and to have control over her interests rather than being at the behest of others. Which is great – I think there will be a raft of celebs who wish they’d done the same.

    2. Natalie

      What is great is that for Millie this was never a case of just putting her name on someone else’s products. This has always been her brand, that she came up with, named (after her grandmother), developed etc. She just needed an incubator to get it off the ground. A brand she first started discussing at 13, launched at 15 and bought at 16. She’s an amazing young woman

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