Kat Von D Steps Down From Her Makeup Company Amid Name Change, Not Involved in ‘Any Capacity’

Kat Von D is stepping down from her eponymous makeup brand after over a decade, announcing this week that she has sold her stake in Kat Von D Beauty, which the tattoo artist created with LVMH beauty brand incubator Kendo.

“This past year has been one of great change for me,” Von D said in a statement on Instagram. “As many of you know, I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, launched my vegan shoe line, and am now busy prepping to release my long-awaited album in the Spring, followed by an international tour! As much as I wish I could balance all of this, on top of continuing my makeup line, it has become clear to me that I just can’t do everything at the maximum capacity. It’s hard to admit this, since I’ve always said ‘You can do everything and anything.’ But I don’t think admitting one’s limits is a bad thing.”

“With that said, I’ve decided to step down as founder (and from all other capacities) of Kat Von D Beauty, and sell my shares of the brand, turning it all over to Kendo, my partners for the past 11 years,” she continued. “This was not an easy decision, but after careful consideration, I decided I wanted the makeup line to continue to thrive and grow, and Kendo is primed to do just that.”

Moving forward, the brand will be known as KVD Vegan Beauty and will be fully owned by Kendo, with Von D no longer involved in any capacity. In her statement, the artist added that her brand’s transition will be “seamless.”

“I’d like to thank my beloved fans+followers who supported my vision to create a brand that stood for compassion, true artistry, and challenged modern ideals of beauty — most of which I never could relate to,” she wrote. “I was able to create a makeup line that made outsiders like me feel like we have a place in this ‘beauty’ world, and gave myself and others the tools to express ourselves in our own unique way, whether it was embraced by the majority or not. And I just couldn’t have done any of this without you!”

“Thank you for understanding+respecting my choice, as it was a difficult one to make, but one I am proud of regardless, and am confident that the team will continue the KvD legacy!” Von D concluded.

Photo Credit: Getty / Alberto E. Rodriguez