About Lauren Conrad
It appears to be second nature for some to form assumptions about a famous personality, especially when she is visible on a regular basis on TV and on the covers of popular magazines--yet, how much of the assumed is actually true remains another matter entirely. Lauren Conrad is possibly one such character who the general public would like to think it knows based on her frequent outings. Love her or hate her, Conrad has become part of American pop culture. Thanks to reality TV, "L.C.," as Conrad is also known, has joined the ranks of the paparazzi's oft-photographed celebrities in Hollywood. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Born in Newport Beach, California on February 1, 1986, Lauren Katherine Conrad shot to fame as the star of the MTV reality television show, "The Hills." Conrad is the eldest of Jim and Kathy Conrad's three children. "The Hills" chronicles her life in Los Angeles, where she moved to from her hometown of Laguna Beach. "The Hills" is in fact a spin-off of another series, "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," of which Conrad was a cast member. The show first aired in 2004 and documented Conrad and her friends in their senior year of high school. Its name is derived from "The O.C.," a teen soap opera on the FOX network that ran from 2003 to 2007.
Function
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Conrad's childhood dreams of working in the fashion world have become a reality. She has her own clothing line and serves as guest designer for other brands as well. One well-known example of Conrad's work outside of her own label is with "Mark," a sub-line under cosmetics giant "Avon." For "Mark," Conrad has designed clothes and accessories that can be seen in the company's "magalog" as well as on its website (see Resources below). As spokesperson for "Mark," Conrad has played a proactive role towards making a positive difference in society; she created the "Have a Heart Necklace" as part of the company's effort to end the cycle of dating abuse and violence in the lives of young women. The net proceeds from sales of the necklace go to that campaign.
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Features
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One of the areas of Conrad's life that has become fodder for the rumor mill is her relationship with Heidi Montag. Montag first came to the public's attention after appearing on episodes of "Laguna Beach." As Conrad's friend from the early days, Montag became a featured player on "The Hills," and has achieved recognition in her own right as not only a reality TV personality, but also as a fashion designer and singer. As viewers of the series know, Conrad and Montag's friendship hit a bumpy road when Montag got involved with Spencer Pratt. The feud was reputedly resolved in late 2008.
Significance
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As with others in the spotlight, Conrad has her share of both admirers and detractors. Her designs, which include outerwear, tops, pants, skirts, dresses, accessories and bags are generally well-received. Proof of this lies in the fact that producers chose her as the designer for the gown worn by the women handing out the statuettes onstage at the 60th "Primetime Emmy Awards." Items from Conrad's line are available for purchase on her website. Her formal education in the industry is from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles.
Effects
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Clearly, Conrad's popularity among girls and young women has propelled her into the position of being a role model. Her internship at the magazine, "Teen Vogue," has been linked to the growth of the publication's sales from 2006 to 2007. Since "The Hills" first aired in 2006, Conrad's style has become widely copied and sought after. Tutorials on her makeup looks and hairstyles are requested online, and Conrad herself is a fixture in the celebrity scene, as are Montag, Pratt and co-stars Audrina Patridge and Whitney Port.
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