Ifeel that I was put in this world for a reason –to spread beauty, love &happiness
She was the most talked about person in the world after a sex tape was released 15 years ago. We find out how she has since become hugely successful in business
IT’S 15 years since Paris Hilton’s sex tape and reality TV show, The Simple Life, made her a star.
The combination of the porn video and the blonde heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune working on a farm cemented the filthy rich party girl in the world’s consciousness.
She became a “celebutante”, a celebrity-debutante hybrid who opened up her A-list lifestyle for the rest of us to goggle over.
Along the way she popularised the selfie, started the trend for carrying tiny dogs in handbags and beat the Kardashians to being famous for being famous.
Now 37, Paris is a perfume-to-DJ businesswoman. She is still on the lookout for the future Mr Hilton, after ditching her fiancé, Leftovers actor Chris Zylka, last month.
They met at the Oscars in 2016 and got engaged in January, while on a skiing holiday in Aspen.
But she felt that the 31-year-old was pushing her into marriage and returned his $2million ring.
Paris prefers to concentrate on making money and building up the products that carry her name.
She said: “I see myself as a businesswoman. I love being an inspiration.
“I work so hard and I love my fans so much. I feel that I was put in this world for a reason – to spread beauty, love and happiness.
“I feel like whatever you put out into the world comes back to you. That is why I have been in this industry for over two decades.”
Paris puts her success down to “karma” but also leading from the front.
She said: “I have been a pioneer in everything from reality television to celebrity branding.
“I was doing selfies before there were iPhones.
“It’s amazing to see reality television shows and know that a whole new genre and type of celebrity was inspired by me.
“When I first came on to the scene as a teenager moving to New York, I was 16 years old.
“Everyone was saying I was famous for being famous because there was no one like that. Now, that’s a thing.
“I think I’m a futuristic person, I am very ahead of my time. I’m always thinking ahead.
“Success drives me. I never stop. I have 19 product lines, I have real estate, I even have my own virtual reality worlds coming out.”
Paris puts her entrepreneurial drive down to her genes. Her great-grandad Conrad Hilton founded the Hilton hotel empire in 1919 and her grandad and father followed him into the business. She said: “Since I was a young girl, I’ve always really looked up to my father and my grandfather. “They are such incredible businessmen and mentors. I always wanted to make them proud. “I didn’t want to just be known as the Hilton Hotel granddaughter. I wanted to be known as Paris. “My grandfather used to be known as Barron Hilton and now he’s Paris Hilton’s grandfather. I know he’s proud of me. He says I work harder and travel more than any other CEO he knows.” She’s hands-on with her perfumes – all 24 of them – and skincare products. Fragrance has been a passion since she was young and admired Elizabeth Taylor, who was briefly married to her great uncle Nicky Taylor. Paris said: “When I was a little girl I loved perfumes and I said that one day I would have a perfume of my own. “Elizabeth Taylor was a perfume queen. Now I have more perfumes than she did. “I know every scent, every note, so all of the time I am developing a new fragrance I am coming up with names, new bottles and new packaging.” Her skincare line, Paris Hilton ProDNA, was launched last year and she credits its serums and moisturisers for her own impressive complexion. She said: “I have always been really natural. I have stayed out of the sun, tried every skincare product on the market – but I wanted to create something that had real results and is cruelty free.”
Plastic surgery and injectables are not for Paris. She said: “Girls nowadays are resorting to plastic surgery, fillers, Botox and all of these things but I want them to have another option.
“I think it’s important to be natural and not put toxins in your body. I see so many girls today doing all of these things that they shouldn’t be doing.
“That is why I created a skincare line and all of these amazing perfumes, to make girls feel confident and beautiful.”
Paris mixes charity and humanitarian work with her business activities.
She said: “Things upset me, when I visit children in hospital and they are sick, or when I see animals at animal shelters. I’m a sensitive person.”
The recent fires in California came close to home. Paris said: “I was so sad, crying, just seeing all of these houses go up in flames, people losing their homes and everything they have.
“A lot of my friends lost their homes. My cousin, Whitney, put together a bunch of care packages so I made a big donation for the firefighters.”
Paris does not fear competition and is delighted that there are so many wannabe Hiltons around today.
She said: “There are so many people who could be the next Paris Hilton and that makes me so happy and proud.
“I meet so many different influencers, celebrities and people coming up in the business who have said that they did this because they have been following me since The Simple Life.
“To inspire so many people to want to work hard and be a brand is an incredible feeling.”
Everyone was saying I was famous for being famous. Now, that’s a thing PARIS HILTON ON BEING A TRAILBLAZER