From Rihanna to Reese, women entertainers are transforming into ...

SectionsTVFeaturedMore from NBC Follow NBC News From pop singer Rihanna's billion-dollar clothing and cosmetic lines to actress Reese Witherspoon's media company, which just sold for $900 million, female celebrities who branch out and reinvent their brand are boosting their public image — and their fortune.While dozens of female celebrities have started their own companies, with many expanding into the beauty and fashion industries, some brands — like Rihanna's Fenty Beauty and Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company — have amassed hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, turning their entertainer founders into fully fledged business owners.Female entertainers face unique pressure to reinvent themselves as their career progresses, said Sharon Marcus, a professor at Columbia University whose research focuses on celebrity culture. And a big part of that is ‘how can I build on this?’”Witherspoon's portfolio includes the Draper James clothing line, named after her grandparents; and the female-centered media business Hello Sunshine, which last week was sold to a group that includes former Disney executives and private equity giant Blackstone.Founded in 2016 with the goal of promoting female-centered stories and media, Witherspoon said the sale of her media company would enable Hello Sunshine to increase the number of female-led shows it produces.“It’s fascinating to see how a company like this, that started just four years ago, can really resonate with audiences,” Witherspoon said in an interview with CNBC last week.