Lauren Conrad

About Lauren Conrad

Lauren Conrad was born on February 1, 1986, in Laguna Beach, California, to parents Jim and Kathy Conrad. She has two younger siblings, Breanna and Brandon.^[1] 

After high school graduation, Conrad attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and transferred after one semester to the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She did not complete her degree and, instead, focused her attention on getting direct experience in the fashion industry.^[4]

Conrad married William Tell, former guitarist for Something Corporate, in 2014 and the couple has two sons named Liam and Charlie.^[5] 

Television and Public Image

In 2004, Conrad starred in the MTV reality show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County with her classmates at Laguna Beach High School. The show was a response to the popular Fox show, The O.C. Laguna Beach followed the lives of teenagers growing up in the affluent community in California, caught up in the dramatics of high school relationships, friendships, and future life plans. The show lasted three seasons, ending in 2006.^[6] 

In Laguna Beach, Conrad was portrayed as a fashionable and confident young woman who was relatable and down-to-earth, despite her privileged upbringing and popularity.^[6] 

In 2005, Conrad starred in the Laguna Beach spin-off The Hills for five seasons. At that time, she worked as an intern at Teen Vogue and at Kelly Cutrone’s fashion and lifestyle public relations agency, People’s Revolution. Throughout the show, Conrad tried to navigate her way through the challenges of adulthood and pursue her career aspirations in the fashion industry.^[7]

Beyond reality television, Conrad has made appearances in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (playing for her charity “m.powerment by mark”), Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, and America’s Next Top Model, where she served as a guest judge on the show’s 13th cycle.^[8][9][10]

Fashion Designer

Conrad started her own fashion line called The Lauren Conrad Collection in March 2008, but ended it to learn how to improve her design choices. In 2009, she debuted LC Lauren Conrad, a clothing collection in partnership with Kohl’s that served as a nod to her personal style. Her primary products through LC Lauren Conrad include women’s apparel, handbags, shoes, and accessories. That line has also expanded into swimwear, children’s clothing, bedding, and home decor. According to the Kohl’s website, “The LC Lauren Conrad collection is inspired by the carefree yet confident designer herself. Brought to life by modern silhouettes, softly feminine details, and inviting home decor, the collection is designed for a chic, effortless style.”^[11] 

In 2011, Conrad started a new fashion line called Paper Crown, which she called a passion project that was separate from her Kohl’s brand. Since its launch, the line has released collections including bridesmaid dresses and maternity clothes. The last collection was released in 2018.^[12][13]

In 2020, Conrad launched her children’s apparel brand called Little Co. by Lauren Conrad, which is an exclusive Kohl’s partner and includes sizes from newborn to 5T.^[6]

She also launched Lauren Conrad Beauty in 2020, an affordable and eco-friendly makeup line that was discontinued in 2021.^[14] 

In 2022, Conrad launched her new fragrance line called Loved by Lauren Conrad. Her signature fragrance includes Eau de Parfum, a body lotion, and a gift set. Conrad wrote in a blog post that the line was years in the making and includes florals and top notes of sparkling grapefruit, white tea, peony petals, and magnolias.^[15]

Websites

In 2011, Conrad launched The Beauty Department, a website where fans could find tricks and tips for makeup, hair styling, nails, and skin. The website offers step-by-step tutorials in beauty categories and involves professionals in the industry, such as makeup artist Amy Nadine.^[16] 

Laurenconrad.com is an online lifestyle destination where Conrad serves as editor-in-chief and curates “the best in fashion, beauty, food, family, home decor, and so much more,” according to the website. Laurenconrad.com is the hub for Conrad’s brands and business endeavors, where the public can find out about product launches and new collections, shop, and read blog posts.^[1] 

In 2013, Conrad co-founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called The Little Market, an online platform with a mission to build partnerships with artisan and producer groups around the world by connecting them with customers. “Our mission is to empower women. Placing financial independence in their hands and giving them the resources they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their families is real power,” The Little Market website states.^[3] 

Works

Conrad signed multiple book deals with HarperCollins and became a New York Times best-selliing author. 

L.A. Candy is a fictional novel published in 2009. The novel is about a 19-year-old girl named Jane Roberts who lives in L.A. for an internship and wants to experience the “sweet life,” with clubs, fashion, and fame. The novel became a New York Times bestseller.^[17] 

Sweet Little Lies was published in 2010 as a continuation of L.A. Candy. The story follows Jane Roberts who lives the glamorous Hollywood life, but when racy photos are leaked to the press, she finds herself at the center of a tabloid scandal.^[18] 

Sugar and Spice is the third installment of the L.A. Candy series that was published in 2010. Jane Roberts is now a bona fide celebrity who has experienced scandals, fake friends, and relentless paparazzi. As she navigates the complexities of fame, she makes a shocking discovery that changes everything.^[19] 

Lauren Conrad Style is a nonfiction reference book published in 2010 that contains fashion tips, personal stories, and colorful photographs. This is the first style guide by Conrad, and she uses it to examine her own fashion evolution.^[20] 

Lauren Conrad Beauty was published in 2012 and serves as a guide dedicated exclusively to beauty, including topics such as maintaining healthy skin, everyday makeup techniques, and tips for special occasion looks.^[21] 

The Fame Game is another fictional novel that became a series. Published in 2012, Madison Parker, “frenemy” of Jane Roberts from L.A. Candy, is getting her time in the spotlight following the success of their hit reality show.^[22] 

Starstruck was published in 2012 and serves as a continuation of The Fame Game series. The main characters, Madison, Carmen, Gaby, and Kate find out that fame comes at a price, and not all publicity is good publicity.^[23] 

Infamous is the third part of The Fame Game series. Published in 2014, Infamous discusses more hard lessons of fame and backstage drama, including scandals, paparazzi, and “backstabbing” friends.^[24] 

Celebrate was published in 2016 and serves as a guide to entertaining. It includes lifestyle tips, personal stories, photographs, and tools for entertaining.^[25] 

Impact

Lauren Conrad has been on the cover page of several popular magazines, including Glamour, People StyleWatch, Cosmopolitan, Lucky, Marie Claire, Redbook, Allure, Shape, and Weddings.^[26][27]

Conrad’s nonprofit organization, The Little Market, continues to connect artisans, producers, and customers. The organization values ensuring that artisans and producer groups are paid a  livable wage, a core fair trade principle. The Little Market had a storefront location in Pacific Palisades, California, but it was closed in January 2023. The online platform is still available.^[28] 

Laurenconrad.com continues to highlight Conrad’s latest fashion and home decor collections and products. In January 2023, Conrad announced that she would no longer write blog posts, deciding instead to focus her free time on her family and fashion lines. The editorial archives, however, remain on the site for readers and include DIY tutorials, recipes, and more.^[29] 

Conrad has an Instagram following that exceeds six million accounts. She uses the platform to make announcements related to her brands and share collection imagery while providing a more personal setting for her audience.^[29]