As the star of MTV reality series “The City,” Whitney Port’s fashion credibility seems debatable at first. But the California native has quite an extensive background in everything style, including stints at WWD, Teen Vogue, People’s Revolution, and Diane Von Furstenberg. Whitney’s cocktail and partywear line, Whitney Eve, debuted in September of this year for Spring 2010. Check out this brief interview with WWD:
WWD: How do you think New York differs from L.A. in terms of fashion?
Whitney Port: I think New York fashion is just a lot more sophisticated and a lot more forward-thinking. People are more willing to take chances here. People take more pride in what they wear and obviously they have to dress for the elements.
WWD: You’ve started with apparel, but do you ever see yourself venturing into accessories?
W.P.: I would love to but I don’t know how talented I’d be at it. But eventually, I think that would be a cool option.
WWD: You’re at People’s Revolution five days a week, how do you have time to work on your line?
W.P.: Actually, I’m in and out of there. I have a design space in there and then I also have my apartment, which we just built a whole little section in to design in. I mean, I have to be out in the field. Kelly [Cutrone] told me, ‘You know, this is your passion project, so you do whatever you have to do to get this done’. This is my first priority.
WWD: The other “Hills” veterans ventured into the design world with not as much success as they’d hoped. Heidi Montag developed a line that closed shortly after and Lauren Conrad decided to bring her line to Kohl’s after not weathering well in the high-end market. Does that concern you at all?
W.P.: I put myself in a different sort of realm as them. Obviously, it’s scary. I think it’s really hard to break out right now since the fashion industry is struggling. I mean, people don’t want to spend their money on clothes right now – it’s a luxury. You’re always worried about people not understanding your point of view, not being able to get it. But I think my biggest competition is myself.
Whitney’s interview with WWD sheds some light on her venture into the fashion world. It also brings up the inevitable comparison of Whitney to fellow Laguna Beach alum Lauren Conrad. Lauren has also taken a stab in fashion by launching the Lauren Conrad Collection, which was cancelled after the first season. What do you think about Whitney? Will Whitney Eve be a success, or will it be dropped like Lauren’s?
–Marisa Amorasak
