Lauren Conrad
Lauren Katherine Conrad (born February 1, 1986), often referred to as "L.C.", is an American reality television star and fashion design student (Teen Vogue intern). She is best known for her role in the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills, the latter of which earned her a Teen Choice Award in 2006 and 2007.
Biography
Lauren was born in Laguna Beach, California to Jim and Katherine Conrad. Her father is an architect (designer of the Conrad family home). Lauren has a sister 3 years younger named Breanna (featured in Laguna Beach season three) and a brother 6 years younger named Brandon. Conrad lived with her parents in Laguna Beach throughout her childhood and high school years. In early February 2004, her senior year at Laguna Beach High School, MTV began filming Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, which followed the personal lives of Conrad and seven other Laguna Beach teens. The show made the introverted Conrad an overnight celebrity. After graduation from high school, Conrad's new-found independence led her to Academy of Art University in San Francisco (entered in the fall of 2004). She met Heidi Montag (Conrad's co-star in The Hills) at freshmen orientation and the two immediately became friends. After only one semester, Conrad left San Francisco and moved back to her parents' house. Conrad transferred to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and worked as an intern at Three Dots clothing company beginning in early 2005. She also briefly dated Jason Wahler, a Laguna Beach cast member. Conrad was featured on the second season of Laguna Beach, filmed over a period of approximately eight months beginning in December of 2004. In summer 2005, Conrad moved into a Los Angeles apartment with new roommate Montag. Conrad continued her studies at the Fashion Institute and started an internship at Teen Vogue. MTV began filming Conrad for a new reality series, The Hills, which was announced in the fall of 2005. Around that time Conrad resumed dating Wahler, who also moved to Los Angeles from Laguna Beach. When Teen Vogue offered Conrad an opportunity to spend the summer of 2006 working in Paris, France, she turned it down so that she could spend time with Wahler. Conrad and Wahler stayed together until the beginning of August 2006.
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Professional career
Lauren Conrad's interest in fashion design began at a very young age, when a neighbor taught her to draw and helped her make clothes for her Barbie doll. This passion led her to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Conrad attended for one semester but eventually transferred to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where she currently majors in product development.
Internship
Lauren landed her internship at Teen Vogue while filming season one of The Hills. According to Lisa Love, the West Coast editor of Vogue who evaluated Conrad for the internship position, the reality star had to interview successfully in order to get the job, "regardless of what the cameras wanted." Love, who had not seen any of Conrad's television shows, did not know what to expect, but found Conrad to be "a very good interview." Conrad "knew photographers, she knew magazines, she knew why she wanted to work at Teen Vogue." Conrad joined Teen Vogue as an intern in September of 2005. Conrad and her reality show appearances have been credited with improving sales of Teen Vogue.
Spokesperson
In January 2007, Conrad was named the first official spokesperson of "mark.", a line created by Avon and marketed towards 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.
Fashion line
MTV and Lauren Conrad announced the launch of the first-ever celebrity-inspired digital fashion line, available on the Virtual Hills website, in March 2007. In connection with the project, Conrad will also develop a real-world fashion line, scheduled to hit stores in fall of 2007. Kathy Conrad says Lauren's line is set to debut September 15, 2007. Lauren has been casting models for her look book recently. She has also said that several media sources already have the exclusive on the details of the clothing line.
