LOVE Island stars and fashion deals go together like jeans and a cute top, with contestants offered contracts before they’ve washed off the sun cream.
2022 winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu announced last week that she had bagged a £1million deal with online retailer Oh Polly.
Runner-up Gemma Owen is following in fellow Islander Molly-Mae Hague’s footsteps in securing a six-figure deal with Pretty Little Thing and Paige Thorne has reportedly lined-up a lucrative tie-in with Forever Unique.
Gemma, 19, was one of this series youngest contestants and said the deal was “a dream come true”.
She is set to be the richest Islander coming out of the villa, expected to surpass Molly-Mae’s estimated £4.5million earnings.
Abby McHale takes a look at the show’s other stars who are following closely behind her.
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EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU – OH POLLY: £1M
THIS year’s winner Ekin-Su may not have needed her share of the £50k prize after securing a record-breaking £1million deal with Oh Polly.
Ekin-Su, 28, wore the brand 27 times while on the show – although most of the items will have been pre-owned, owing to the show’s partnership with eBay.
However, it’s still no wonder that she has been chosen to go with the Scottish brand, which was set up in 2015.
Ekin-Su follows in the footsteps of previous Islanders Liberty Poole and Molly-Mae, who have collaborated with Oh Polly in the past – although this seems to be the company’s biggest deal to date.
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The former actress said she wanted to work with the brand because “it aligned to her own values of sustainability”.
MOLLY-MAE HAGUE – PRETTY LITTLE THING: £500K
ONE of the most successful former Islanders, Molly-Mae has made a name for herself in fashion.
Snapped up by Pretty Little Thing after coming out of the villa in 2019, she secured a deal for £500,000.
Her first collection crashed the website and half the range sold out within 24 hours, with her latest range launching this week.
Last year she was announced as the brand’s Creative Director and is said to earn a seven-figure salary.
She celebrated by buying a £37k Cartier bracelet, despite heavy criticism from creatives in the industry who thought she’d been handed the job on a plate.
At 23, she’s just getting started. She told Steven Bartlett on his Diary Of A CEO podcast that she took part in Love Island as a business move.
MAURA HIGGINS – ANN SUMMERS: £500K, BOOHOO £500K
THE 31-year-old was a big character in the 2019 season, making a name for herself inside and outside the villa.
Upon leaving she struck a £500k deal as a Boohoo ambassador before releasing an Ann Summers collection also worth £500k.
Maura’s partywear collection with Boohoo was so popular she became the face of its Christmas collection in 2019.
In March she posted an ad for Ann Summers’ brand on her Instagram, with pieces from her collection still available to buy online.
MEGAN BARTON HANSON – PRETTY LITTLE THING: £500K
MODEL Megan set pulses racing during her time in the villa and when she returned to the UK in 2018 she was quickly snapped up by Pretty Little Thing.
The 28-year-old beauty became a brand ambassador and took to the streets of Los Angeles for her first shoot with the fast-fashion retailer, whose products are largely aimed at teens and twentysomethings.
Megan went on to do further fashion campaigns for the brand throughout 2018 and into 2019.
Pretty Little Thing bosses said that they not only chose Megan because she was such a hit on Love Island, but because, they said, “She’s the girl that’s taking over the world, not only by her good looks but with her self-love and female empowerment.”
DANI DYER – IN THE STYLE: £500K
THE 2018 winner quickly signed a £500k, 12-month deal with online fashion firm In The Style, which also paid her 20 per cent royalties from sales of her ranges.
Starting with capsule clothing and swimwear, last May she added maternity and nursing wear ranges after giving birth to her son Santiago.
Dani, 26, launched her latest Summer Of Love collection on the site in May.
It has been reported that 87 per cent of In The Style’s revenue comes from celebrity collaborations such as with Dani, Jacqueline Jossa and Charlotte Crosby, earning the company £44million in 2020-21.
MILLIE COURT – ASOS: £1.4M
LAST year’s winner Millie worked in the buying department at Asos before she entered the villa.
But since taking home the prize fund, she’s gone from working for the brand to creating her own range, something Asos had never done before with a female contestant.
The clothing giant is believed to have paid £1.4million for a 12-month contract with Millie, 25.
When her first collection dropped last December the website crashed due to huge demand.
She’s since done another collection and became the face of Puma’s exclusive Asos shoe collection.
OLIVIA ATTWOOD – I SAW IT FIRST: £500K, IN THE STYLE: £500K
FIVE years after leaving Love Island, 2017 contestant Olivia is still a fashion brand favourite.
Last year she signed a £500k deal with online clothing store I Saw It First, creating a lockdown-lifting collection to inspire people to get dressed up again.
Her first range for the brand was such a success that it was followed by a second in June last year.
And that’s not the only deal that the 31-year-old has secured, having worked with In The Style in another £500k deal in 2017.
She was named as a brand ambassador and created her Olivia Loves collection.
AMBER GILL – MISSPAP: £1M
WHEN 2019 winner Amber Gill came out of the villa she was inundated with offers from brands.
She went with MissPap, now part of Boohoo group, in a deal reportedly worth £1million.
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The collection dropped over a six-month period and was the start of a relaunch for the brand. It was an inclusive collection, with sizes ranging from 6 to 26.
At the time Amber, 25, said: “I wanted to take my time . . . so my collection embodies my style and . . . is inclusive.”
STARS ARE BIG DEALS
WHY do Love Islanders secure such lucrative deals with fashion brands?
Dr Amna Khan, Senior Lecturer in Consumer Behaviour and Retail at Manchester Metropolitan University, says: “While on Love Island, many of the contestants develop a fan following from consumers who would like to emulate their fashion style.
“Consumers’ exposure to the contestant over the duration of the programme allows shoppers to develop familiarity with their personality, fashion style and taste, which makes them more willing to shop their look.
“The companies choose their contestant based on the fit with their brand, the products they sell and the values, how many of the consumers connect with the contestant’s personality and image and the appeal of the contestant in their chosen market.
“Essentially, they want the contestant who will increase their sales on their products.”
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