04 December 2009 (Interview)

Uber stylish clothes-horse-with-a -heart, Whitney Port, became a star when she started a friendship with Lauren Conrad in The Hills - series four is currently thrilling freeview audiences as it premieres on VIVA. Having moved on to New York to work as a PR for fashion house, Diane Von Furstenberg, Whitney became the star of her own show, The City.

Here, Whitney reveals a few designer secrets and what she really thinks of Olivia…

Words: Alicia Coyle

Did you ever think that The Hills and subsequently the City would be the cult hits they are?

I never thought it would be this popular! When I first started doing The Hills I had no idea what I was in for and now, to be doing The City, it’s been very surreal. I think The City is very different to The Hills. The way it’s filmed is very similar in the way we sit and do the chats; have conversations and the work atmosphere and the going out atmosphere are similar but, the look of The City and how career orientated we are is very different. We’ve been filming The City since the spring and I think it’s going to be really fun to watch. We’ve got a completely new look, we have new characters and, I’m living in a new apartment. We have new jobs and I’m single for the first time so, it’s cool.

You broke up with Jay is there a new love interest?

Jay does come back to the second series of The City for a little bit but I’m not seeing him, it’s purely on a ‘friends’ level. But there’s a little love interest here and there, you’ll just have to tune in to see!

The Hills girls have become something of a fashion phenomenon and you now have your own clothing line…

I have my own fashion line ‘Whitney Eve’ which is online now, so for those who don’t have access to the stores, you can find it online! I just showed my first collection at Bryant Park at New York’s fashion week and it’s a really great collection for me – fun flirty dresses, bright colours, metalics, some tailored jackets, and comfortable leggings – fun cocktail wear.

And Lauren also has a clothing line. Are you now rivals?

Lauren and I are still friends but her clothing line is very different. Mine is a little more upscale, it’s definitely more expensive, more fancy.

So, how are you enjoying New York? Do you think you’ll ever move back to LA?

I think eventually I’ll move back to LA but right now I’m happy to be in New York. I think at 24 years old it’s the perfect place to be. I’m meeting more people than I ever probably could in LA because it’s a melting pot of cultures and nice people. I feel that New York has definitely grown on me and I can definitely call it a home. It’s not like my actual home because, home is where family and friends are and everything, but I definitely feel like I’ve become accustomed to the lifestyle and I feel more comfortable there.The social scene is very different; it’s very new. I hardly knew anybody there at first so it was difficult to make new friends but, I think I have found a good circle of friends right now.

Talking of friends, do you still keep in touch with Lauen and Audrina?

I still talk to Lauren quite often, Audrina I don’t talk to so much.

And what about Olivia?

Olivia and I are not really the best of friends out of work. We are fine; we’re amicable, it’s cool. I don’t dislike her and I hope she doesn’t dislike me but there’s definitely facets of her personality that are hard to get along with. We’ve both left DVF and I think it’s a lot healthier for me to be at a workplace where she’s not.

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Watch The Hills on VIVA at 20:00 on Tuesdays and 22:00 Thursdays

 

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