Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen each get their own cover of Elle for Elle UK April 2012! That’s the power of this dynamic duo. With personalities too big for a shared cover, the duo have certainly transformed since debuting in life as infants on Full House. Here’s a sneak peak at some of their interview highlights from the issue…
On being mirror twins and their unbreakable bond:
Ashley: “We’re attracted to different things, but we arrive at the same place. I think we’re probably unaware of how intuitive it might seem from the outside. It’s basically one thought process shared between two people.”
On not trusting others to run their businesses:
Ashley: “We are perfectionists. We’ve always wanted to be closely involved with everything, totally hands on – that’s why it works. If we step away, it stops working. I know it sounds controlling, but that’s how it has to be.”
On being on the other side of the camera lens:
Ashley: “I don’t have to be a pretty face. I’ve done that, but now it’s important and liberating to be on the other side of the lens. I don’t like to be the centre of attention anymore.”
On celebrities starting fashion lines:
Mary-Kate: “Of course we knew about the trend of celebrities as designers, but we’d done that already when we were much younger. I don’t understand the new idea of designers as celebrities either. To me, the Phoebe Philo kind of modesty is the way to go. We love beautiful things. That’s the only driving impulse.”
On their plans to expand into retail:
Mary-Kate: “It’s about being creative, but having a bigger vision for that creativity. For a designer to be successful nowadays, they need to know much more than just design. [Tom Ford], his career is astonishing – the way he’s been able to do everything he has wanted to do and really not compromise at all. From fashion to film, it’s such a singular vision.”
