How One Direction sister Lottie Tomlinson went from nepo-sibling to ‘stealth entrepreneur’ & her savvy move with Louis
WHEN she was just 11 years old Lottie Tomlinson’s brother Louis became part of one of the biggest boy band’s of all time.
One Direction’s rapid rise to fame thrust each of their families into the spotlight but rather than shy away from the public glare, Lottie took her newfound platform and made it her own.
Now 26, the Doncaster native has come a long way from simply being known as Louis Tomlinson’s little sister.
She has honed her beauty skills into a successful make-up career, working at London Fashion Week and even releasing a book of tutorials.
Lottie also started a self tanning empire in Tanologist alongside Lou Teasdale, who she met through her brother Louis.
The former make-up artist for One Direction wasted no time in signing the young talent after they worked together on the band’s On The Road Again tour.
Finding her own way
Lou has been both a professional and personal support for Lottie ever since, helping her through the deaths of her mother Johannah Deakin and younger sister Félicité Tomlinson.
She even wrote the forward for Lottie’s latest book, Lucky Girl: Family, Falling and Finding My Way.
Brand expert Nick Ede spoke exclusively to Fabulous about Lottie’s new book and what it could mean for her career in the long-run.
“I think one of the things that’s really interesting about her is that she obviously became famous vicariously through her brother and the success of One Direction,” he says.
“But you have to be good at your job to carry on doing well and as a makeup artist, she’s got a really good portfolio and people really respect her and what she does.”
Nick adds that the unexpected and virtual overnight success of One Direction likely meant Lottie felt “caught up in it.”
“It may have been something that she hadn’t really planned but obviously has used it to her own advantage and done it in a really great way,” he explains.
He reveals how her move from writing about makeup to sharing content about her personal life will likely grow her following even more.
“I think a lot of people have grown up with her from a young age so they feel they can relate to her,” Nick says.
“Obviously, with her talking about the passing away of her mother and then her sibling, that was really tragic and a moment which will never leave you.
“I think a lot of people will find it very authentic and buy into it because they’ve been on her journey with her.”
Lottie Tomlinson career timeline
2015: Lottie worked as a stylist and make-up artist for her older brother Louis and his band One Direction during their On The Road Again Tour.
2016: Lottie became an ambassador for Nails Inc. and debuted a collaborative collection with the beauty brand. She also became the face of fashion brand Lipsy London. Lottie also worked as a make-up artist at London Fashion Week.
2017: She released her first book Rainbow Roots: #MAKEUPBYME, which featured 40 beauty tutorials.
2018: Along with Lou Teasdale, Lottie founded and launched the fake tan company Tanologist.
2019: Tanologist was launched in the US, appearing in stores such as Ulta and Target.
2020: Lottie became a brand ambassador for Sue Ryder’s bereavement support services. She also began working with fashion brands Pretty Little Thing and Asos.
2022: Lottie featured in marketing campaigns for Boux Avenue.
2024: Lottie launched her exercise and well-being app Verdure, which includes fitness and diet plans for users to follow at their own pace. She also released her second book Lucky Girl: Family, Falling and Finding My Way.
He also says people will likely be equally as interested in reading about the highs of One Direction and the lows of losing family members through Lottie’s eyes.
“I think out of a lot of people who’ve come out of that bubble, she’s really one of the most authentic,” Nick says.
“And I think a lot of people really respect and look up to her.”
He points out that despite Lottie’s success and famous connections, she hasn’t got a following in mainstream media and doesn’t appear on TV often.
Nick believes that by sharing more about her story, Lottie is likely to solidify herself as a household name.
“I think doing this and being much more open about her life will actually open her up to a lot more people and it will make her more famous,” he says.
Nick says Lottie’s work with bereavement charities and recent expansion into the world of wellness will likely effect her career.
She’s the stand out of the family so I think she’s taken on this mantle to make sure she looks after the family.
Nick Ede, brand expert
“It will give her a bigger platform and it will allow her to potentially start talking at wellness festivals like the Happy Place,” he adds.
“[She may] also be used by the media to comment on the subject she talks about in her book.
“So I think this is a really savvy move to give her a bit more of an all round personality rather than just the sister of a One Direction [member].”
While Louis Tomlinson has had an undeniably successful career already, it is likely Lottie wants to establish a platform of her own.
She has previously held back on commenting on the pop star’s life and only rarely posts snaps with him on social media.
However, the pair have both been vocal about their family’s struggles and have recently been more public about their bond, even enjoying a weekend at Glastonbury together.
Nick says: “I think using him in the right way and talking about things which are so close to them, [such as] trying to help their sister, is a really important part of that book.”
“I think moving forward, she wants to be established as Lottie Tomlinson, as an author, as an expert.”
He added that, from a brand point of view, this is the best way forward and it’s likely that Lottie will continue to be the most public member of the Tomlinson siblings.
“I think she’s the stand out of the family so I think she’s taken on this mantle to make sure she looks after the family and is part of that,” he says.
I don’t think you will see other Tomlinsons going that direction.
Nick Ede
“I think watching her success, other members of the family might be quite interested in emulating that but I feel that she’s the one, and her brother, obviously, who will be sort of taking that mantle.
“I don’t think you will see other Tomlinsons going that direction.”
Lottie’s launch into fitness and wellness content was another smart move, according to Nick.
“Obviously it’s such a massive thing at the moment and she’s got over five million followers so I think for someone like her, to show everybody her lifestyle is really important,” he says.
“If you look at the really successful influencers like Molly Mae, Stacey Solomon,or Michelle Keegan, you can see that they all give glimpses into other parts of their lives.
“It gets people engaged, obviously brands want to give them sponsored posts.”
Everyone talks about Molly-Mae being an entrepreneur, but actually, Lottie Tomlinson is doing really well and is just stealthily building this empire, which is really impressive.
Nick Ede
Nick described Lottie’s health and fitness venture, Verdure, as “a very savvy move” and a clever way to make Lottie into a “much more of an all-around person.”
“We get to know more about her, we see her highs, her lows, we see what she’s done every day,” he explains.
“She’s doing this extremely well, she’s got the book, she’s got the tanning brand.
“She’s like a stealth entrepreneur, that’s what I call her.
“Everyone talks about Molly-Mae Hague being an entrepreneur, but actually, Lottie Tomlinson is doing really well and is just stealthily building this empire,which is really impressive,” he says.
This point could be backed up by the fact that Lottie’s famous surname doesn’t feature on the label of any Tanologist products.
She has managed to build her own beauty empire without relying on her surname and even made the decision to align herself with Lou Teasdale’s management rather than brother Louis’.
The future certainly looks bright for Lottie.