Lauren Katherine Conrad (born February 1, 1986), often referred to as "L.C.", is an American television personality and an aspiring fashion designer. She is best known for being featured in the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and for her spin-off show, The Hills, which follows her personal and professional life as she pursues a career in the fashion industry. She earns an estimated $1.5 million annually for her television appearances, fashion line, and product endorsements.[1]
Biography
Early life
Conrad was born in Laguna Beach, California, the daughter of Kathy and Jim Conrad. Conrad has a younger sister, Breanna (featured in Laguna Beach season three),[2] and a younger brother named Brandon. Conrad lived with her family in Laguna Beach throughout her childhood and high school years.[3]
Laguna Beach
During Conrad's senior year of high school, she appeared in the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. Upon graduation, she attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco for one semester. She then transferred to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. The move, along with Conrad's new job as Teen Vogue intern was chronicled in the Laguna Beach spin-off The Hills.[3][4]
The Hills
The first season of The Hills premiered on MTV in May 2006. The series documents Conrad's work at Teen Vogue along with her life and the lives of her friends, including then-roommate Heidi Montag.[5]
MTV renewed The Hills for a second season, which filmed from late summer of 2006 through February of 2007. Throughout that time the friendship between Conrad and Montag deteriorated as Montag increasingly spent her time with her new boyfriend, Spencer Pratt. By February 2007, Audrina Patridge, another person featured on The Hills, replaced Montag as Conrad's roommate after Montag moved into a separate apartment with Pratt, effectively ending the friendship.[6]
The series recently wrapped its third season and is still filming its fourth season, that began airing on August 18th.[7]
Professional career
Conrad landed an internship at Teen Vogue while filming season one of The Hills.[3] According to Lisa Love, the West Coast editor of Vogue who evaluated Conrad for the internship position, Conrad had to interview successfully in order to get the job, "regardless of what the cameras wanted."[4]
Conrad and her reality show appearances have been credited with improving sales of Teen Vogue. It was reported in March 2007 that, since the second season of The Hills began airing in mid-January, newsstand sales for the magazine increased by double digits over 2006 sales.[8]
She has also developed a new fashion line called "The Lauren Conrad Collection". The line debuted at Mercedes Benz LA Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in March 2008.[9]
Spokesperson
In January 2007, Conrad was named the first official spokesperson of "mark.", a line created by Avon and marketed toward young women. She will partner with "mark." and collaborate in both beauty and fashion initiatives. She will be featured in the brand’s magalog (a combination magazine and catalog reaching over six million customers every month), and in the "mark." online community. A line of exclusive co-branded items are part of future plans and will be available on the website and through "mark." representatives.[10]
As of April 24, 2008, Conrad is also the national spokesperson for College Tonight.[11]
Press
Conrad appeared on the cover of the June/July 2006 issue of Teen Vogue magazine. It was the first time an intern at the magazine appeared on the cover.[12] That same month, TV Guide published an interview with Conrad that discussed the Teen Vogue cover shoot and detailed her life as the subject of reality television.[13]Conrad appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue again in August 2007 cover alongside friend and fellow intern, Whitney Port.[14]
The following month she graced the cover of the August 2006 issue of Seventeen magazine. Conrad did another cover for Seventeen magazine's October 2007 issue. This issue was for the launch of her new clothing line, Lauren Conrad Collection and gave an exclusive look at her designs.[15]
Conrad made her third cover appearance on the March 2007 issue of Cosmo Girl. The issue was published under two different covers, both featuring Conrad. She also appeared on September 2008 cover. [16]
Television and film roles
Awards
| Year |
Group |
Award |
Series |
Result |
| 2006 |
Teen Choice Award |
Choice Female Reality TV Star |
The Hills |
Won |
| 2007 |
TV - Choice Reality Star (Female) |
The Hills |
Won |
| 2008 |
Choice Female Reality TV Star |
The Hills |
Won |
References
- ^ "The Celebrity 1000", Forbes (2008-06-11). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
- ^ MTV (2007). "Meet the Cast" (html). Laguna Beach (Season 3). MTV.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
- ^ a b c "Lauren Conrad: Biography". people.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ a b Ogunnaike, Lola (2006-06-11). "Blond Ambition Comes in Flats or Heels", New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ Heffernan, Virginia (2006-05-31). "'The Hills,' a Follow-Up to 'Laguna Beach,' Makes Its Premiere on MTV", New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, et al. The Hills (Season 2) [TV series]. Los Angeles, California: MTV.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: The Hills Gets Renewed for a Fourth Season With Returns on August 18th 2008.". usmagazine.com (2008-05-08). Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ Smith, Stephanie D. (2007-03-23). "Teen Beat", Memo Pad, Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
- ^ Lang, Derrick J. (2008-03-12). "'Hills' Star Debuts at L.A. Fashion Week". abcnews.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ PRNewswire (2007-01-31). "mark. Forms Partnership with Reality TV Star Lauren Conrad", Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved on 2007-03-20.
- ^ BusinessWire (2008-04-24). "Lauren Conrad Partners with College Tonight, Inc.", Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ "Lauren Conrad: Biography". People.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ Webb Mitovich, Matt (2006-06-14). "Hills Angel, Lauren Conrad, Tells All!", Interviews & Features, TV Guide. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
- ^ "Behind the Scenes of Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port's Teen Vogue Cover Shoot". teenvogue.com (2007-08). Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ "Lauren Conrad: October 2007". seventeen.com (2007-10). Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ "Don't Call her L.C.", front cover, Cosmo Girl (2007-03), pp. cover. Retrieved on 2007-04-06.
External links
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