5 richest female celebrity self-made billionaires of 2023, ranked: from Kim Kardashian and Rihanna to fashion mogul Tory Burch, media magnate Oprah Winfrey and ex-COO of Meta, Sheryl Sandberg
Forbes just released its 2023 list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women on June 1.
Questions over how Forbes defines “self-made” regularly arise when the publication releases its rich lists. It reports that it uses a combination of factors, including valuing individual assets like stakes in public companies using stock prices. It consults experts to help establish the value of private companies. Forbes also claims that to be eligible, women have to have “substantially made their own fortunes” in the US and/or be US citizens or permanent residents.
Here are five female stars who made the list, hailing from the fashion industry to tech, music, media and beauty.
5. Tory Burch – US$1 billion
In 2022, the lifestyle brand named after its founder, Tory Burch, sold around US$1.75 billion in clothes, fragrances and shoes. With 370 stores around the world, Burch clearly has an aggressive expansion plan. She started the brand in 2004 in New York City and, according to her website, has a strong focus on empowering women. The Tory Burch Foundation gives access to capital and education to enable women to achieve their dreams, with Burch being the executive chairman and CEO of the brand.
4. Kim Kardashian – US$1.2 billion
3. Rihanna – US$1.4 billion
Fenty Beauty, the make-up line she launched in partnership with LVMH back in 2017, is by far her most valuable asset, with LVMH that reporting Fenty doubled its revenue in 2022.
In March, the Barbadian singer-actress-entrepreneur announced a collaboration between her beauty line and Puma called Fenty x Puma, in a move that Vogue has said makes sense because of the musician’s long-standing relationship with the brand.
2. Sheryl Sandberg – US$1.7 billion
1. Oprah Winfrey – US$2.5 billion
Forbes ranked media mogul Oprah Winfrey as the richest female self-made billionaire, with her net worth estimated at US$2.5 billion. She was widely reported as adding 352 hectares of land in Maui earlier this year to her already-extensive property portfolio on the Hawaiian island. Her other properties are in California and Wyoming.
According to Forbes, Winfrey reinvested profits from her Oprah Winfrey Show into Harpo Productions and other business interests. America’s favourite talk show host is also producing a musical film The Color Purple with Steven Spielberg, set to premiere in North America on December 25, per Variety.
- Forbes’ newly released America’s Richest Self-Made Women list includes female celebrities like Skims co-founder Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, who is the youngest self-made billionaire at 35
- Fashion mogul Tory Burch and ex-COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg rank too, but Oprah Winfrey takes the throne – she’s co-producing a film with Steven Spielberg, set to premiere in December