MOSCHINO dress and gloves, GEORGE KEBURIA sunglasses KEBURIA GEORGE and gloves, MOSCHINO dress It’s sometime in early 2003 or 2004 and Paris Hilton is folding laundry. Standing across from her then-best friend, Nicole Richie, in some stranger’s home in the Midwest, the duo has an argument. “You’ve never heard of a laundromat?” Paris asks, while Nicole, curled up in bed, shakes her head adamantly. “It’s where people who can’t aford a washing machine go to wash their clothes,” she responds, matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen it in movies.” Today, with the omnipresence of reality TV and franchises like The Real Housewives, Pari$ that scene wouldn’t feel too out of the ordinary. But when Paris and Nicole made their debut on FOX with The Simple Life in 2003, it wasn’t just hilarious — it was radical. The granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, by the time she was a teen, Paris quickly became a permanent fixture at early-aughts Hollywood hot spots like the Chateau Marmont and Les Deux, a regular on industry red carpets and a familiar face in the front row at every Fashion Week. Paris at the mall, Paris leaving Starbucks, Paris in London — alongside her sister, Nicky, the heiress dominated the pre-RSS fed world of media, almost single handedly keeping paparazzi (not to mention the semi-eponymously named goss site, Perez Hilton) in business. She might not have been the first to do it, but Paris certainly was the most famous for being famous, unintentionally — or intentionally, depending on who you ask — setting the stage for what’s become standard social media practice. Re- member: Kim Kardashian was her assistant. HiltoN Photography: BYRON SPENCER Fashion: CHLOE and CHENELLE Interview: NICKY HILTON Words: ALEXANDRA WEISS 66 OYS 117 67 NIKITA KARIZMA dress, MONIRATH earrings Nicky Hilton: It just dawned on me that we've nev- er done this before. This interview is so overdue. But instead of asking you all of the typical, boring questions, I want to ask you questions that I’m actually interested in. And I asked your fans to send me questions, so I got to rifle through thou- sands that I thought were funny. Paris Hilton: Loves it. NH: Obviously, I know what you were like, but Clearly the world has changed a lot since then, and since The Simple Life ended in 2007. Les Deux has how would you describe what you were like as a closed, tabloid journalism is dead, Lindsay Lohan lives in Europe. But Paris Hilton still remains at the top child? of her game, having transitioned her brand into a thriving career that sees her working as a DJ, singer, app developer and businesswoman with 19 diferent product lines, 25 diferent fragrances and a so- PH: I was always a huge tomboy growing up. I cial media presence that’s not only kept her relevant, but a role model to influencers and YouTube stars loved fishing, and surfing, and being on our fami- who’re so young, they weren’t even born when Paris wore that iconic dress on her 21st birthday. Though, ly's ranch, and playing with animals. My whole life that hasn’t stopped them — and others, like Kendall Jenner — from recreating the look. Even her sister, I wanted to be a veterinarian because I was such Nicky, wore a similar one when she dressed up as Paris for Halloween last year — something they dis- a huge animal lover. cussed on a recent call, in which we joined in. Throughout our chat, Paris is surprisingly shy, perking up most when she talks about the future of NH: I remember that coming to a big halt when technology and the freedom that comes with social media. But it makes sense. The Paris we watched you realised you were going to have to give them wax poetic about laundromats over a decade ago wasn’t the real Paris. “That was a character I was play- shots and stuf. ing,” she explains. “A cartoon of what I thought the world wanted to see.” On the phone with Nicky, she drops that mask, sounding much more like a self-assured woman than our favorite 2000s party girl who PH: Yeah, when I realised I would have to do sur- once tried to exchange half-eaten Burger King. But there are glimpses. When Nicky talks about how peo- gery and euthanize them, I was like, 'Okay, that's ple often incorrectly dismiss her sister, Paris responds, just like she did on another episode of The Simple not my vibe.' So, I decided I would just work hard Life, with one of her famous catchphrases. Trying to explain the meaning of “Loves it” to the teenage son for animals, and have my own pets and just cre- of her new boss on the show, he asks, “Do I love it? Love what?” She says: “Every second of it.” ate the most amazing life for them. 68 OYS 117 69 NH: If you could ask a historical figure for advice, PH: We literally never had our hair and makeup PH: So iconic. can do all of that on this app. So, I'm going to who would it be and what would you ask? done. We did everything on our own. do a Halloween party for Roxi at my house, and AW: Why do you think that's the case? I already bought 10 diferent costumes — Sailor PH: Probably, like, Mother Teresa, and I'd just ask NH: There was no glam team. Moon, sexy Harry Potter, a goddess, a warrior, her what advice would she give to everyone to- PH: It's just the ultimate birthday dress. I actually what else? A little white fox I was supposed to day. I just always felt like she had such an amaz- PH: No Glam App. wore it because I was shooting a cover for Tatler wear for Burning Man but I didn't, and lots of oth- ingly positive way of living life, and thinking, and in London, and Julien MacDonald sent over all er surprises. giving back, and I always admired her. So, I'd just NH: There was something so sweet and innocent these gowns. When I looked at it, I was like, 'If I ask her — about it. We weren't out looking for a career, we was a dress, that would be me.' Like, you know AW: Aside from Roxi, you also have Staramba, were just having fun. when you just look at something and you know and you've been super vocal about your inter- NH: For a really good hashtag on Instagram for it's you? That was it. So, I actually wore it for a est in VR... What do you think is the future of so- you. PH: There wasn't even a career out there like that. shoot first, and I wore it again the next night for cial media, and of technology, and why has that It just wasn't a thing, or something to aspire to. my birthday party in London. But I had no idea space been so exciting for you? PH: Oh my god. We just did it. what a huge force that dress would be. I've seen it recreated so many times, I've seen so many PH: I've just always been very ahead of my time in NH: Speaking of which, what is your favourite so- NH: We were just two sisters going out. people wear it, and all those fast fashion brands everything I do. But I'm also a huge tech nerd — cial media account to follow? have made it. like, I'm obsessed with technology — and being PH: Having the best time of our life. a businesswoman, I like things that are conven- PH: I have so many, but one of my favourites is NH: I was you in that dress for Halloween last ient and make my life easier. There's another app @girlwithnojob — I love Claudia. She’s a g. She's AW: What was harder, being in the spotlight then year! I’m working with right now called The Glam App, so fucking funny. I love all the memes that she or now? And do you think it was easier to be real which is just beauty on demand. Within an hour, makes, and her videos, and her stories... She's back then? PH: Yes! That was so hot. you can have the best hair, makeup and nail art- just so real. I love people who are honest and ists come to your house and get you ready. Then open and say what they're feeling or thinking and NH: No. It's a completely diferent world. Sorry, AW: Are you guys dressing up for Halloween this there's the entire VR world. I'm creating new VR have no filter. I'm like, taking over this entire interview and an- year? spaces which are going to be not only for trav- swering all of your questions, but like, I remember elling to another place, but to actually be able to Alexandra Weiss: Do you feel like that realness is if Britney Spears was photographed with a ciga- PH: Obviously. I live for Halloween, and I'm live in that world and purchase things and get something that’s generally lacking on social me- rette, she would have to issue a public apology having a huge Halloween party at my house. I exciting surprises that they could never have in dia these days? and say she was holding it for her friend.