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MTV Teams with Lauren Conrad to Introduce First-Ever Virtual and Real-World Fashion Line, Taking Personal Expression to Entirely New Level
Lauren Conrad Fashions to Appear in High-End Boutiques and Retail Stores
Later This Year
Virtual Fashions Inspired by Lauren to Debut in 'Virtual Hills' Tonight,
March 6th at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, with Special Appearance by Lauren
NEW YORK, March 6 -- Her fashion has inspired a generation
of young viewers with its California chic look of flirty dresses and trendy
tops usually complemented with a signature headband. Now legions of young
women can emulate Lauren Conrad's fresh style in the real world and online.
MTV Networks and Lauren Conrad -- the star of MTV's popular series "The
Hills" -- today announce the first-ever celebrity-inspired digital fashion
line to be introduced in the Virtual Hills virtual world. In addition,
Lauren will develop a real-world fashion line that will be available in
high-end boutiques, retail stores and online later this fall.
The introduction of Lauren's physical and virtual world fashion lines
takes the concept of personal expression to new heights for a generation of
viewers who take their online persona as seriously as their real-world
presence. Reflecting the casual yet smart aesthetic of her real-world
attire, the virtual clothing line inspired by Lauren will make its debut in
Virtual Hills tonight (http://www.virtualhills.mtv.com), March 6th at 8 p.m. ET /
5 p.m. PT, where fans will be able to buy clothes with in-world currency.
As Lauren continues to design her real-world line, she will look for
feedback from virtual world patrons to help tailor the styles that make
their way to boutiques later this year, a benefit of her close relationship
with fans in Virtual Hills.
"Our audience has always felt a connection to Lauren since she first
appeared on 'Laguna Beach' and we've created innovative platforms online --
first with mtv.com and now with Virtual Hills -- for fans to connect with
her," said Christina Norman, President of MTV. "Our viewers make little
distinction between their online and real-world personas, and the
introduction of Lauren's fashion line reflects their desire to embrace what
they see on television and make it an integral part of all facets of their
lives."
The move also reflects a new model of engagement that moves our
audience back and forth from real-world to virtual-world consumers -- and
back.
"I was so excited to hear MTV was launching Virtual Hills and felt this
was a great opportunity for me to bring fashion to technology," said
Conrad, who is a fashion major at the Fashion Institute of Design in Los
Angeles and also works as an intern at a leading fashion magazine. "We've
been working really hard to create sensible, yet trendy fashions that young
girls can wear in their real life or virtual life and that project a true
sense of self. I'm also excited to continue building relationships with my
fans in Virtual Hills and then apply that feedback to my real-world
designs."
The virtual fashions include casual-yet-sophisticated tops in an array
of colors and accented with layered necklaces. Over time, real-world
fashions will also subsequently be digitized for Virtual Hills.
Lauren will unveil her virtual line in MTV's Virtual Hills tonight in
"LC," her brand new virtual boutique that she helped design. In addition,
tonight also sees the launch of the Virtual Hills "Designer Showcase,"
which gives fans the ability to design their own clothes and marks the
first time members of Virtual Hills can create their own content in-world.
Lauren herself will judge the creations as part of her in-world Fashion
Challenge; the winner gets a private virtual meeting with Lauren and a
selection of Lauren's virtual clothes for free.
An extension of the popular television show "The Hills," Virtual Hills
immerses fans of the show in all the glitz, glamour and fashion of the LA
scene, and replicates large portions of Hollywood and popular venues
featured in the show. Lauren makes frequent appearances in-world. She has
been hosting bi-weekly events, offering style types to other young women
who are also passionate about fashion and who want to interact directly
with Lauren and live for themselves the Hollywood lifestyle they see
on-air.
Virtual Hills is available for free download at
http://www.vhills.mtv.com.
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and
operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC
TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV
LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE
DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of
these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its
audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than
95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless
and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements,
joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming
services can be seen worldwide.
SOURCE MTV
http://www.mtv.com
http://www.virtualhills.mtv.com
http://www.vhills.mtv.com
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