Charli D’Amelio Swaps the Dance Floor for the Runway in Ice Spice x Kate Spade Collab

5 May 2025

Ice Spice and Charli D'Amelio for Kate Spade New York. credit: Micaiah Carter

Charli D’Amelio is no stranger to breaking the internet. In 2025, however, she’s not doing it with a viral dance, she’s doing it in pastel, walking shoulder to shoulder with Ice Spice for a Kate Spade campaign that’s rewriting the rules of luxury fashion marketing. The 20-year-old TikTok superstar, who once ruled the platform with coordinated dances and family-friendly content, has entered her high-fashion era with a co-starring role in one of spring’s most buzzworthy campaigns. Released on March 25th, the campaign’s debut Instagram Reel amassed over 19 million views in its first 72 hours, making it clear that fashion’s old guard is being replaced or at least reshaped by Gen Z’s favorite digital creators and music icons.

The pairing was unexpected but perfectly timed. Ice Spice, the Bronx-born rapper known for her fiery verses and bold style, brings a streetwise edge to Kate Spade’s traditionally playful aesthetic. Charli, with her polished dance background and massive social media reach, adds Gen Z credibility and viral assurance. Together, they give the collection a duality, soft but bold, pastel but punchy that has captivated both fashion followers and TikTok trendsetters alike. More than a simple celebrity endorsement, the campaign has been treated as a major cultural moment, merging music, fashion, and digital-first influence into a single polished execution.

But Charli’s inclusion in the campaign wasn’t just about social numbers or follower counts. It was the culmination of a deliberate strategy to reposition herself beyond the role of internet star. In the months leading up to the Kate Spade rollout, D’Amelio had already soft-launched her own shoe brand, D’Amelio Footwear, a minimalistic but stylish Instagram-first label.

She also made headlines with a surprising role in Minions 5, voicing a sneaker-obsessed minion in the next installment of the animated franchise. The cameo was brief but memorable, designed to tap into her Gen Z appeal and expand her reach beyond TikTok. It served as a clever crossover moment, bridging pop culture, children’s entertainment, and her fashion-forward brand identity. In effect, it solidified her as more than an influencer, she’s a multi-platform personality now, one who can speak to kids and couture fans with equal ease.

All signs point to the Kate Spade campaign being a pivotal moment for her. Analysts suggest that this collaboration positions her for an even more prestigious partnership down the line, possibly even with heritage fashion houses like Dior by 2026. Her ability to blend mass appeal with a growing sophistication makes her a rare commodity in the modern fashion landscape. What once seemed like a temporary wave of influencer fame has become something far more enduring. Charli is in it for the long haul, and luxury brands are finally treating her as such.

Charli’s participation in all of this adds a layer of legitimacy and energy that few celebrities, let alone influencers, can match. She’s not just modeling clothes, she’s wearing them the way her audience would. She’s trying on looks in the mirror, filming behind-the-scenes clips, laughing during outtakes, and bringing a human touch to what is traditionally an inaccessible space. That relatability, combined with her evolving sophistication, is what makes her such a powerful figure right now. She's still Charli, but she’s Charli with a couture twist.