Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has stepped down from Rose Inc, the beauty brand she founded in 2018.
In an Instagram post via her personal account, @rosiehw, the English model attributed the decision to step down from the brand to “significant changes within the business”.
“In August 2023, Amyris Inc, Rose Inc’s joint venture partner, declared bankruptcy, leading to the sale of Rose Inc’s assets to the highest bidder at auction,” said the post.
“The brand is now under new ownership, and moving forward I am no longer involved or affiliated with its operations, products or promotional activities.”
Hong Kong-based asset management firm AA Investments bought Rose Inc for US$2.5m at auction in December 2023.
Since filing for Chapter 11 last summer, Amyris has auctioned off consumer brands in its portfolio, including Rose Inc; JVN Hair, the hair care brand of Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness; and skin care brand Biossance, which went to the UK’s THG for $20m.
Huntington-Whiteley continued: “Authenticity and integrity are paramount to me in any business endeavour on which I embark and therefore, it is time for me to close this chapter and pursue new adventures.”
Her post concluded by thanking the “Rose Inc community” for their “support, commitment and belief”.
The official Rose Inc Instagram account, @roseinc, confirmed the news, posting: “With deep gratitude and undying respect, we especially thank Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for her creativity, passion and beliefs that gave birth to Rose Inc.”
One of Huntington-Whiteley’s ‘new adventures’ is The Equity Studio – a new firm offering funding and strategic advice to beauty and wellness brands – which she joined in March.
For The Equity Studio, the 37-year-old teamed up with investor Anna Sweeting to invest in growth-stage consumer companies across the UK, US and Europe.
