Do you remember the days when television was essentially just ABC, NBC, Fox, and CBS? We’re dating ourselves, but it feels like just yesterday. So when a show like Full House was a success, that meant a lot of us watched it. But the Olsen twins took their roles to the next level and were the only billionaires to come out of the cast. Here’s where the Olsen twins travel.
After 12 or more years off screen, the Olsen twins are actors no more. But it would take a lot to forget Mary-Kate and Ashley’s stints as Hollywood’s most famous twin childhood stars. And from Full House to Passport in Paris to A New York Minute to When in Rome, the duo had a Galavante-travel-approved upbringing. However, after they retired from acting, the fashion industry called. And (no surprise to anyone) their red-carpet designs have been a source of inspiration for years. Yes, somehow the twins, now 36, managed to step away from being in the spotlight only to become more successful than ever. Currently, they head up two major fashion labels — the Row and Elizabeth and James. The Row is worn by many of their famous celeb friends, and Elizabeth and James is exclusive to Kohl’s.
It’s clear that fashion and celebrities favor big cities. So, the biggest in the country are where the Olsen twins travel between. Here’s where to find the bicoastal fashionistas.
New York City
New York is a longtime love for the Olsen twins. As kids, Mary-Kate and Ashley merely visited NYC, but now it is their home. The city is also the home of the Row, whose offices are in Lenox Hill, just a block from Central Park. City life has inspired the brand, which embodies an ethos of versatility and universality. In 2005, the Row started as a single T-shirt, which the twins tested on several different body types to make sure it was the perfect fit. They then created a line of basics, which Barneys bought in its entirety. That simplicity can sometimes benefit their choice of fun NYC venues. For instance, to celebrate their success at the CFDA Awards, Mary-Kate and Ashley took the Row team out to party at the campy and nostalgic Cowgirl Hall of Fame in the West Village. It may not have been chi-chi, but it sure was fun.
The girls can show it doesn’t always have to be high-end — but mostly it is. Despite keeping an otherwise low profile, they have attended more than their fair share of Met Galas — and partied at luxe Upper East Side establishments. With the Row office and store located on East 71st — just a stone’s throw from the Met — the Olsen twins are truly the queens of the UES. Now fans can see them not as Michelle from Full House, but as the fashion world’s most consistent red-carpet guests.
Los Angeles
Despite falling in love with NYC, the West Coast is where the twins always feel at home, and where they often visit. During Mary-Kate’s time in college at NYU, she reportedly fled the city for Los Angeles whenever she got overwhelmed. LA will always be the pair’s first love. In fact, Mary-Kate is rumored to be moving back there full-time. Maybe it’s her love of horseback riding and the outdoors. But it most likely has to do with the twins’ second Row boutique located on Melrose Place. The showroom is a destination unto itself, winning an American Architecture Award with its fresh California-modernist design. In a rare public sighting, the Olsens were recently spotted shopping on the strip near their own store, which is also close to the Rick Owens and Helmet Lang boutiques.
Photos show Mary-Kate and Ashley hiking in Los Angeles with each other and their partners. As their fashion suggests, they enjoy participating in activities where they’re not the center of attention. In LA, that means grabbing coffee at Urth Caffé, or even their longtime favorite, Starbucks.
Traveling Like an Olsen…
In Paris, the Ritz is where the Olsen twins travel, and where you too, can feel like Mary-Kate and Ashley. If staying in Rome, we recommend The Eden. And for New York, you can achieve an Olsen experience in Midtown East, where Mary-Kate lived in the Turtle Bay neighborhood in a historic townhouse with her then-husband. They love the area, and the Waldorf-Astoria or the St. Regis can be your go-tos here.
