Kicking off her senior year in High School, Lauren Conrad had no idea what she had signed up for when MTV approached her and a group of friends to film their final year. The show would become MTV’s 2004 hit reality show LAGUNA BEACH: THE REAL O.C. and Lauren would become the trendsetting breakout star. Lauren comments, “I’ve loved MTV as long as I’ve been allowed to watch it as a young kid. It turned out to be such a cool experience. It changed us all in a good way and I feel very fortunate to have my own personal video yearbook of those great times.”

Born and raised in Laguna Beach, California, Lauren is the eldest of three children. She is the ‘big sis’ to her 17-year-old sister, Breanna (LAGUNA BEACH: Season 3), and an 14-year-old brother. Her parents, Jim, who is an architect, and Kathy, who manages Jim’s business, have both been a major influence in Lauren’s life. “My mother taught me to focus on being myself and not to worry what other people think about you. I know that as long as I’m a good person, I’ll stay on the right path. From my dad, I learned that when someone tells you ‘No’ it’s only the beginning of a conversation. They both have always let me know that I can do anything I want to do as long as I don’t give up. They are the most important role models in my life because they are exactly who I want to be when I grow up. They are supportive and understanding and I try everyday to remember what they’ve taught me.” From the response that she has received from fans, Lauren has successfully become that person.

Although billed after the hit Fox series The O.C., MTV’s LAGUNA BEACH prides itself on its real connection to the kids. Lauren and her friends spent months filming the show and inviting the camera crews into their homes for a slice-of-life real program. Her love of fashion (she includes Marc Jacobs, Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfield as her fashion inspirations) made Conrad the fashion trendsetter of the show and set her squarely in the eyes of young girls throughout the world. “I do love fashion so I’m very glad that they were able to focus on that aspect. When I was six, my neighbor taught me to paint and draw. We would sew and make clothes for my Barbie doll. Ever since then I’ve loved High Fashion and Designing.” With national exposure hitting most young adults throughout the world, Lauren has found herself in the ‘public eye’ more and more. “Sometimes it’s weird walking into a crowded place and seeing people look at you and whisper. But I like it when fans come up and say nice things to me. I’m always amazed at the type of fans that we have out there. I’ve talked to grandmas at airports, middle-aged men and (of course) tons of teenagers. It’s very flattering that they will have nice things to say to me and always ask me what I am doing next.”

The end of the first season left the audiences with Lauren and her senior class departing Laguna Beach to go away to College. “It was very sad and emotional for all of us. We’ve all been together for so long that it was really heartbreaking to say goodbye.” Lauren left for San Francisco to attend school and study her major: Fashion Design. However, after her first semester, Lauren decided to leave San Francisco and continue her education in Los Angeles.


For Lauren LAGUNA BEACH: THE REAL O.C. has opened doors to a new world. “I chose to do the show because Entertainment and Fashion are so closely related. I wanted to get a taste of a different side of my world and I loved just trying a new experience. MTV was so great about spending time with all of us so closely that we all became one big family. I’m definitely glad that I did it and it’s cool that people seem to understand and like who I am.” And what is Lauren’s advice for teenagers entering the High School Experience? “Just enjoy High School and stay close to your friends. And whatever happens make sure that you keep some sort of record so that you can remember those good times.” For Lauren, those good times (and bad) are on record for the whole world to see.

The second installment for LAGUNA BEACH: THE REAL O.C. premiered in July with ratings doubling over the Season One premiere. It was the most watched telecast for the night among people 12-34 years old versus all of the television and it was also the most watched telecast for the summer among teen girls even beating out broadcast networks. While the show focused on the new senior class, Lauren appeared throughout the season with her fellow graduates.

In the fall of 2005 MTV announced THE HILLS, a spin-off show that would continue to track Lauren as she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion. Cameras have followed her as she attends classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and as she climbs the ranks as an intern at Teen Vogue. The show also captures the lives of her friends, including her roommate Heidi, her neighbor Audrina, and her co-worker Whitney. Lauren explains, “On Laguna the girls would fight with their boyfriends. Now we fight with our bosses. The drama on this show is real problems such as ‘Am I going to get fired?’” THE HILLS premiered on May 31, 2006 with tremendous ratings and is one of MTV’s top shows. Lauren has appeared in numerous publications and has graced the cover of the June/July 2006 issue of Teen Vogue and the August 2006 issue of Seventeen Magazine.

From : laurenconrad.com