Hilary Duff the CEO

There is a new Associated Press article that has been making it's way into newspapers around the country that talks about how celebrities are now branching out in to the world of fashion. The article talks about how Hilary Duff has followed in the footsteps of the Olsen Twins in her attempt to build a fashion empire.

According to the article, Duff "will be coming out with products aimed at preteen girls this fall. The merchandise, from clothing to room decor, will sell under the label Stuff by Hilary Duff in discounters like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and mid-tier stores such as Kohl's Corp. They include hot pink fabric handbags and cropped black jackets.

The launch comes 10 months after Duff became CEO and head designer of her own fashion and lifestyle company. To help secure her footing, she hired Robert Thorne, the Olsens' former manager -- and until early last year the CEO of Dualstar Entertainment Group, the Olsens' entertainment business -- to spearhead her merchandising empire.

The goal: to generate retail sales worldwide of more than $1 billion in two and half years, according to Thorne."

As if Hilary wasn't busy enough already, it looks like she is going to be stepping up her fashion game considerably. Although the amount of hands-on work that she will have to put in will probably be minimal, they are pretty much just using her name to sell the clothes.

Tags: Hilary Duff, Olsen Twins, Fashion