Wf meets Stephanie pratt
Former the hills star, current Made in chelsea girl about town, Steph talks health, fitness and her plans for the future
Stephanie Pratt’s Californian accent is instantly recognisable the minute she walks into the studio for her cover shoot. She may have been living in London for the past three years, but there’s no denying she’s a West Coast girl through and through. We’ve chosen a particularly dreary day in February for our photoshoot – it’s a far cry from the sunshine she grew up with, but the rain hasn’t dampened Steph’s spirits. She’s all smiles and ready to talk health, fitness, fashion and her plans for the future.
Photoshoots can be manic at times (OK, OK, a lot), but Steph takes it all in her stride. Our interview takes place while she’s getting glammed up, having her hair and make-up done in preparation for her fabulous wf cover.
Steph has a lot on her plate and is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Her supplement range, To Be Honest by Stephanie (nutritionbysteph.com) launched in November last year, she’s created a dress line with Goddiva and she’s recently set up a web series with the busy woman in mind. She’s clearly passionate about everything she’s involved with. We find out what’s next for L.A’S sunniest export…
Has being healthy and active always been important to you?
Yes, it’s the lifestyle that I grew up with. Living in LA, being in Malibu, I was always going on hikes, bike rides and I learned to surf when I was eight years old. It’s always kind of stuck with me.
What’s your go-to workout to boost your mood?
It’s got to be going on the treadmill or a run while listening to really loud gangster rap, which along with hip hop is my usual workout music of choice.
What form of exercise do you dread the most?
Spinning! The hills are just so hard, and I always feel like I’m the worst in the class. People love it, but it’s really hard for me.
What are your biggest gym pet peeves?
I was in the gym recently and a woman walked in and turned the music down, but then she got on the treadmill and put in earphones. I thought that was so rude. I also don’t like going to crowded gyms
When I first got here, it was all about going out, afterparties and ordering pizza – we were animals. It’s changed in the last year
where there are a lot of guys, because then I kind of feel like I’m on display. I start thinking that they’re probably making fun of me for wearing workout gloves even though I’m not working with really big weights – but I don’t want calluses!
What inspired you to launch To Be Honest by Stephanie, your supplement range?
I had really bad skin in high school. My mum would let me stay off at home, it was so bad. I tried drying creams that would make my skin boil and bubble. I was trying every kind of make-up and skincare, trying treatments including diamond resurfacing, and spending so much money. Finally, a dermatologist told me that beauty comes from within and that I needed to take vitamins and minerals. She had me taking aloe vera pills, fish oil and all these different things every day, and my skin’s been amazing ever since.
I went to a very Hollywood school and I always had trainers throughout high school – it’s just something people did after school. That’s when I discovered protein powders. When I was older, I read
Practical paleo by Diane Sanfilippo and I went paleo for a little bit. The book talks about how, depending on your blood type, there are certain supplements and vitamins that you can take to help with things such as digestion, your gut and your liver. I started taking what was recommended for me and I really noticed a change in my metabolism. It became a real turning point for me regarding supplements.
When I moved to London three years ago, I had bottles of green tea pills, white tea pills, all my skin pills and magnesium… My home was like a pharmacy. Since I take them daily, my mum was having to send them to me, which was frustrating because they’d get caught in customs. I reached out to Coastal Health about a year and a half ago and I told them how I couldn’t find certain things here that I knew I wanted for my skin. In my original meeting with my now partner Troy Linton, I took along everything that I take. He was really impressed with the knowledge that I had; I think a lot of it came down to growing up in LA, working out, talking to trainers and dating athletes. We were able to combine certain groups of pills that I take into a capsule. I now have six products held in a slim case instead of having to carry everything around. It basically came out of my selfish need of wanting my vitamins and minerals from LA in London.
How long did it take to launch To Be Honest by Stephanie after that meeting?
It took a year. It just launched last November. The UK is so different to the States. In America they allow crazy
ingredients in everyday products such as shampoo. The UK is way more strict, which is good. We wanted something that was suitable for vegans and we didn’t want any added food colouring, preservatives or sugar. It took a while to make it natural and affordable, since healthy ingredients are usually more expensive.
The taste testing was a lot of fun. The first protein powder I chose was chocolate, because I love it, but I definitely want to do a vanilla one as well. My To Be Honest Electro-drink is only 24 calories, you can just put it in your water bottle throughout a workout and it provides you with electrolytes – it’ll hydrate you, it’s not sugary and it’s completely natural.
How does it feel to be motivating others to look after their health?
I’ve really noticed a change in the past year with my made in chelsea cast members. When I first got here, it was all about going out, afterparties and ordering pizza – we were animals. It’s changed in the last year. Now, even my mum has noticed how all of themic girls are looking good and fit on Instagram. Oliver Proudlock used to be one of the only guys who worked out, but now everyone on the show does. Even Jamie Laing is going to gym classes in his little leggings. It’s a good lifestyle to adopt and it’s really easy. I’ll just text Rosie Fortescue and ask her if she wants to go to a boxing class instead of going to Bodo’s Schloss.
Do you find it difficult finding the time to stay healthy and active with your busy schedule?
There are so many yo-yo diets out there right now, which are just terrible. To wake up my metabolism, I make sure I take all my supplements within the first hour of getting out of bed. Doing these all-juice detox camps is dangerous – it’s not good for your body or your heart. For me, it’s all about maintaining my health by eating well and doing everything I can to keep my metabolism high. It’s so easy to find time in your day, even by doing something as simple as getting out of the taxi a little while before you reach your destination so you can walk the rest of the way.
What treat can’t you resist on a cheat day?
Right now, because I’m about to do a photoshoot, I won’t have a piece of cake. But normally I would never not eat something. I’m a carbs person and it was really hard to not eat carbs when I was doing paleo, which is why I didn’t last too long. I can go and have pasta for dinner and instead of ordering dessert I’d order another pasta with cheese! It’s all about maintaining my health by eating well and doing everything I can to keep my metabolism high
Do you find it easier leading a healthy lifestyle in California or in London?
It used to be way easier in California. It’s getting a lot more doable here though as the city’s changing; I’ve noticed a lot more juice bars, for example. When I first arrived in London, my biggest complaint was that I could never find a good salad. Now I’m obsessed with Tossed. It is harder here though when it’s raining and dark, because you don’t want to leave your house and go to the gym at 9am when it feels like 5am. One of the things I wanted in my apartment was a gym – as much as I love working out, I also love to sleep, watch friend sand eat mac and cheese.
It’s very exciting to hear you’re launching a clothing range. Tell us more...
I went to Paris for college where I was studying comparative literature. While I was there, I realised that I wanted to work in fashion, so I started researching schools. I found Istituto Marangoni in Milan and, after a year, I called my parents and told them I was going to move to Italy. My parents just wanted me home, so a week later my mum told me about this really popular fashion school in California called the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) where wedding dress-designer Monique Lhuillier had studied. I checked it out, loved it and moved back to LA to start there.
I started onthe Hills, which I fell into because of my brother, Spencer, and we started filming at FIDM and it became such a circus with the paparazzi. I was four credits away from getting my degree, but I just couldn’t go on as it was so insane. I’ve tried to create a fashion line ever since and failed a million times. I don’t truly consider them failures though – just another step towards learning how to do it. When I moved to London, I tried working with some different brands but they just wanted me to put my name on things. It’s really easy for someone who’s on TV to put their name on something, but I really want to design.
When I met with Goddiva, the first thing I told them was that I wanted to be involved from A to Z and they agreed. They wanted to get mood boards together for a range of dresses, one for darks and one for lights. It’s a dress line right now, and it’s just been so amazing. I would send them all of my sketches, they’d get samples made and send them to my apartment. I’d then try them on, add my notes. I’d have my girlfriends with bigger busts try them on to make sure that I wasn’t being too critical with how the dresses fitted my body alone. We’ve got about 40 dresses in the first line and I’m already thinking of ideas for the autumn/ winter collection. I could talk about fashion and health all day long!
What are your favourite workout clothes?
I’m Lululemon mad – I think it’s because I’m from LA. I pretty much only wear Lululemon. I’ve also just discovered Live! workout clothes and I think Sweaty Betty is so cute.
What are your top tips for achieving your health and fitness goals?
You can’t just exercise or just diet – it needs to be both. I’m not a calorie counter, but I try to stay away from carbs and sugar, and instead eat lots of protein and greens. It’s so hard not to have things that are processed and it’s so expensive to just shop at Whole Foods, so definitely buy food from farmers’ markets.
It’s hard to all of a sudden start running, so I like to hike, but obviously it’s always raining here. I would advise someone who wants to start running to put some ankle weights on, put on some music and walk up a treadmill on an incline as if it’s a hike. You’ll work your butt, your calves and your legs and, if you want to add weight, wear a little backpack.
What’s next for you?
I’d love to do more fitness stuff. I have other supplements in mind, like a sleeping one. And I would love to keep working in fashion. My mind doesn’t stop!
I’m also doing a web series with Spirit Media, which is going to cover everything from beauty to exercise. Instead of a 10-minute video, Spirit Media is all about two- to four-minute shorts, as they’re targeted at the busy working woman. I went to Spirit Media with the idea and I’m going to actually edit the videos. You have to be a go-getter.