Lauren Conrad hasn't done too badly since leaving 'The Hills'. Her clothing line, Paper Crown, is doing relatively well and her blog, The Beauty Department, is on many-a-woman's bookmark list but there's more in the pipeline for Conrad.
In her blog for Forbes.com, she revealed that she's currently working on expanding her blog to a full on cosmetics line. "Right now, one of my main objectives is to expand TheBeautyDepartment.com into a product line," she revealed. "I am currently researching all of my options, but should begin the process of executing an actual line very soon—stay tuned."
Despite using MTV to elevate her profile both on 'Laguna Beach' and her show, 'The Hills', Lauren Conrad has again spoken out about the damaging effect the TV show had on her credibility as a 'real' designer.
"It's easier to launch the line without MTV," she told Lucky magazine. "A lot of people in fashion don't want to be linked with anything that has to do with reality TV. Showrooms were turning us down." MTV passed on her reality spinoff that documented the launch of Paper Crown. Conrad says, "It's difficult to compete with all the 'Jersey Shore'-type shows," adding, "besides, there weren't any scenes of me getting drunk or fighting, so what's the point?"
Although that may be true, something doesn't quite sit right with us about Conrad's blame game finger pointing because after all, the endorsement deals and fashion line would never have been possible without the show. And besides, if the reality show was damaging on her fashion career, why did she pitch for a spin-off to push her new collection?
Last month saw the cast of 'The Hills' attend the show's finale party celebrating it's final episode but as expected, it doesn't look like we'll be seeing the cast any less. This week Stephanie Pratt attended the Los Angeles premiere of "Middle Men" in this black cut out dress.
Now that 'The Hills' is coming to an end, it looks like Stephanie Pratt is already thinking about a way to keep herself in the limelight. Sources are reporting that Pratt is moving to New York and is in talks with producers of the 'The City' about joining the show.
Since the Twitter phenomenon began, brands have caught onto the idea that the social networking site is also ideal for marketing, and so they created their own Twitter accounts, tweeting exclusive sales and insider information to entice us to follow. Taking a more sly approach to Twitter promotion, it seems celebrities are now being paid to name drop in their tweets - for example,Lindsay Lohan.
While we're a little unsure why Burberry, with its array of bright young British talent at the ready would need to hire LiLo, one her most recent tweets leaves us suspecting that Miss Lohan - who owes $600,000 in credit card debt - had been paid by the fashion brand. "Are you kidding?? Burberry's on sale today on Beyond The Rack! Just bought a scarf and hobo!! Bring it on!!" she tweeted, excitedly.
Whilst MTV's new Style site might be a PR vehicle in disguise for the likes of The City and The Hills, there's still some fairly interesting reads to be found.
Check out Ed Westwick's opinion on Speedos for summer, sketches from Madonna and Lourdes' new line, Material Girl, and meet the designer behind Lady Gaga's latest insane heels. The site also features the words of an alum from The Cut, Sharon Clott. Check it out here.
They say that all publicity is good publicity, and it seems Elle's editor-in-chief, Robbie Myersagrees. Reality television series The City has been barging its way into the Elle offices for quite some time now, and despite showing creative director Joe Zee hiring the somewhat incapable it-girl Olivia Palermo and showcasing Erin the 'power publicist' spending the majority of her time whining about said it-girl, Myers doesn't seem to mind.
"I think we are very aware it makes for interesting television," she explained, while Liz Gateley, MTV's senior vice president for series development backed her up. "Television is still the most powerful medium to get your brand out there" she proclaimed, "And I think Robbie is a smart enough editor to know the power of the medium."
Teen Vogue - who appeared on The Hills for quite some time - decided it was best to cut the contract as the starring girls got older, "As we were going into the fourth season, the girls were getting older. They were going to bars. They were meeting guys." Teen Vogue's Amy Astley explained, "And Teen Vogue is very wholesome", she continued, politely. Good job for The City, Elle isn't so 'wholesome', then?
The last few months has been ridden wih rumours that Teen Vogue are set to launch another 'reality' TV show after the success with 'The Hills'. Many doubted the claims on the basis that the magazine was said to be behind Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port's move to People's Revolution because they allegedly did not want to be associated with the programme anymore. However, this week Amy Astley confirmed that the magazine are in fact focusing on a '"new TV show we're developing" but refused to give more details.
We've seen many different sides to People's Revolution founder Kelly Cutrone, but mostly from our experiences on The Hills, The City and Kell on Earth we've witnessed a straight-talking boss with a sharp tongue who shows no remorse for making a quivering intern cry. Although the softer side became apparent when we interviewed Cutrone at LFW last season, we've never seen her as relaxed as she is in the latest edition of Bluefly's Closet Confessions.
"Margeila, Dries, Paco, Yohji, Westwood, Dries..." Cutrone lists off as she piles clothes from one of her three closets onto one arm. "Missoni, Rykiel... Isn't it amazing I know all these? Yohji, Yohji, Yohji... Urban Outfitters?" she continues. Ironically, Kelly claims to not shop all that often, as she takes us through a series of her favourite outfits, and admits to having a rail of "skinny girl clothes - clothes I wear when I'm skinny". Amongst tales of her mother untacking her Margeila ("it was WAR!"), we also get to see Cutrone almost melt in front of the camera as her daughter Ava goes through her favourite pieces. "Who's your favourite designer?", Kelly asks, "Sonia Rykiel" replies Ava, "cool". Like mother, like daughter anyone?
In a somewhat unsurprising announcement, it has been revealed that the next series of The Hills - which premieres in America on the 27th of April - is to be the last. The news comes with little shock to most fans, as after Lauren Conrad's departure the show has struggled to maintain high viewings, despite the dramas of Heidi's drastic addiction to plastic surgery, Spencer (and Stephanie, for that matter) continally showing themselves to be worthy of their surname, and Audrina's constant battle with her attachment to badboy Justin. Let's not forget the return of Kristin Cavallari, who despite after making a scene at the wedding of Speidi has failed to fill LC's boots as well as she might have hoped.
"I think we've told the story of struggle and of finding yourself in L.A." creator Adam DiVello told EW, "A lot of these kids have found themselves and have certainly embarked on different careers and different paths." The last season promises some drama-worthy stories, including the moment Heidi's mother first sees her 'new' face, and Kristin coping with rumours of drug abuse. So at least the last episodes may be worth a watch, and after all, we're curious to see whether Lauren will return for one last goodbye...
