MEET THE TWIN SISTERS BEHIND RISING DANISH LABEL LIÉ STUDIO
Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard were models at 15, then became influencers before starting own brand
Most people do not become globe-trotting models at the tender age of 15, and even fewer do so alongside their twin sibling – so Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard already had an unusual introduction to the fashion industry.
But the Copenhagen residents went a step further and launched a fashion brand together in late 2021, which they oversee as co-creative directors.
Lié Studio, a play on the Danish pair’s names, was born as a jewellery brand producing ultra-wearable pieces that would not go out of style.
“From the beginning, it was our grandmother’s old vintage pieces, which we do a modern take on and change up a bit to make them Lié,” Amalie says on a recent visit to celebrate the brand’s capsule collection with online retailer Net-a-Porter – a line-up of chunky silver and gold chains and studs inspired by balls of yarn.
“Jewellery came up as the perfect way to create our uniform dressing; it’s not season-based and is the perfect finishing touch to our personal style,” Amalie adds.
The sisters were already tastemakers in their own right before the brand became a reality.
They started Instagram accounts while working as models, and accumulated impressive followings and brand deals thanks to their minimalist wardrobes modelled against scenic backdrops in Copenhagen and other fashion hubs.
Like many models, they never actively sought to become influencers. “[Brands would] tell us things like, ‘Sales went through the roof when you wore that coat’. We realised people were looking to us for what to wear, and we wanted to have a piece of the cake,” Cecilie says.
The twins studied business while modelling and, taking that leap, started with a crew of three.
“We were very naive and had no idea what we were going into,” Cecilie adds.
Nonetheless, they were pleasantly surprised when Lié Studio started selling globally from the beginning, thanks to loyal followers in countries such as the United States and China.
“[Sales] very much aligned with our own Instagram data, the insights we see on our personal profiles,” she says. “It’s rare, as small companies usually focus on their local markets first – we were global from day one.”
Since then, the brand has grown impressively but selectively: 60 per cent of the business is direct-to-consumer, while wholesale partners include premium retailers such as Harvey Nichols and Moda Operandi as well as Japan’s Tomorrowland, South Korea’s Tom Greyhound and China’s Chicun. China is a bright spot, with shoppers gravitating towards Lié Studio’s silver jewellery, and its Elly necklace and bracelet are proving favourites.
But it is safe to say the expanding team, which now numbers 12, is not resting on its laurels.
The brand has just launched leather bags and belts in utilitarian yet streamlined silhouettes and is looking ahead to the opening of its first physical store in Copenhagen in June.
Clothes will eventually become part of the equation; the goal was not just jewellery, but to become a lifestyle brand with timeless wardrobe staples.
And while we have all heard the warnings against starting a company with friends or family, neither sister considered doing things any other way.
“We’ve always been stuck together whether we like it or not,” Cecilie says, laughing. “It’s similar to the question we always get asked, of what’s it like being a twin – we cannot really answer it because we haven’t tried anything else, and it’s the same for work.”
It is abundantly clear that the pair are on the same wavelength – throughout our chat, they continuously finish each other’s sentences and cite each other as main sources of inspiration.
They know, however, that this can take some getting used to for other members of the team; like all siblings, they bicker and banter, but they are also sounding boards for one another.
“People will ask, are they fighting? But we’re just brainstorming, and the next moment we ask, ‘Do you want milk in your coffee or not?’” Amalie says with a laugh.
Much like how they sometimes accidentally show up to work in the same outfits, the sisters also land on the same design ideas with scant explanation – call it the twin effect.
“Our technical designer has to figure out what we mean, but the two of us are kind of telepathic when it comes to design,” Amalie adds.
The business is a source of constant excitement. Even off-duty, the sisters love chatting about inspirations, designs and plans – to the occasional chagrin of their boyfriends.
“It’s amazing to have someone to always ping pong with, it’s so much fun. But we need to balance and that is something we need to learn for sure,” Amalie says.
As people who have been in front of cameras since their teen years, the twins describe being behind the scenes as extremely freeing.
“[In] the modelling world, you don’t have control over what you’re doing and you’re a needle in a haystack,” Cecilie says.
“It’s so rewarding to know you’re more than just a face, you’re a businesswoman,” Amalie adds.
While they occasionally model pieces on the brand’s Instagram account, the goal is for Lié Studio to have a strong brand identity without the twins representing it.
“We’ve been so conscious of not becoming that influencer brand – you do see a lot of influencer brands growing, but it’s a quick rise and then downhill,” Cecilie says. “It’s such a relief because we know now that Lié can stand alone.”