Profile: The genius of self-promotion that is Paris Hilton
At a dinner party last week, my guests gasped in horror when I said that I view Paris Hilton to be a genius. Their faces turned ashen and one asked if I had lost the plot. In the ensuing discussion, several described her as the personification of vulgarity and tastelessness. Others complained that Hilton had achieved nothing with her life and one went as far as to say that this young lady was notable for nothing other than an appearance in a sex tape in 2003.
Paris Whitney Hilton (1981 – )
For the few who don’t know her, Miss Hilton is the 31-year old great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. On her official Twitter account she describes herself as a: “Model, Actress, Singer, Brand, Business Woman, Fashion Designer, Author, Philanthropist and Empire.” That, indeed, is certainly quite a collection.
Paris Hilton with her parents Richard Howard and Kathy Hilton and younger brother Conrad Hilton
“Life is too short to blend in,” said Hilton in an interview and her philosophy is indeed one that I’d agree with. Hilton may have done some pretty tasteless and silly things over the years and her shows Paris Hilton’s My New BFF and The Simple Life were not my kind of viewing, but her brilliance is that she knows how to turn publicity into dollar returns. Now worth some $100,000,000, she’s the one who is having the last laugh.
In a 2006 interview for Guardian Unlimited, Hilton aptly summed up the reason for her success:
“People can’t believe how hard I work…. I love it. I think it just runs through my veins. My great-grandfather was a bellboy and had a dream to do a hotel chain, so I think I get it from him.”
Conrad Nicholson Hilton, Sr. (1887 – 1979): the “Innkeeper to the World” who was also married to the actress Zsa Zsa Gabor (1936 – 1997)
Like or loathe her, the determined Miss Hilton’s achievements are impressive and I’ll leave her the final word:
“I don’t think there’s ever been anyone like me that’s lasted. And I’m going to keep lasting.”
The Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is best known for using exotic wild animal prints in his creations and for giving jeans a “sand-blasted look” that has become the standard style for the majority of brands.
Roberto Cavalli
Born in 1940 in Florence, Cavalli sells his main lines in over 50 countries and owns various clothing brands as well as producing watches, perfumes and eyewear. Married to Eva Düringer, who he met when he was a judge at the Miss Universe 1977 pageant, Cavalli’s success is often attributed to his success at maximising returns from “celebrity endorsement.” Victoria Beckham, Halle Berry, Brigitte Bardot, Mary J Blige, Elton John, Sean “P Diddy” Coombs, Kate Moss and Shakira all number amongst his muses and customers.
The father of five children from two marriages, Cavalli chose the symbol of the snake as the mascot for his fashion house and most of his inspiration is said to come from nature itself. His brands especially prospered in the United States after the plot of an entire episode of Sex and the City centred upon a Roberto Cavalli dress but it is his wife who is credited with transforming his business fortunes. “I was thinking maybe to stop,” Cavalli told Time International, “… but then Eva became interested so I started—for her—to involve myself again.” Today, his net worth is estimated at $500 million.
Roberto Cavalli Vodka
After being told about Roberto Cavalli Vodka, I got in touch with Tommaso Cavalli, the eldest son of Roberto Cavalli, who has built himself a successful career breeding horses and developing the family’s wine and spirit range. Based in Chianti, where the family also produce their Tenuta Degli Dei range of wines, Tommaso Cavalli, in a 2010 interview for DNA India, suggested:
“When people hear about Cavalli Vodka or Wine, they want to try [it] out because of the name.”
This indeed tallies as there have been various attempts at cashing in on fashion and celebrity in the vodka market in recent years. Most, though, have floundered or been trounced as shoddy attempts to take on Grey Goose and Belvedere. I haven’t heard, for example, much of Donald Trump’s vodka since 2006 and critics described it as one that “will produce a not-so luxurious hangover.” Roberto Cavalli Vodka, launched in 2005, however, has deservedly proved itself truly to be an exception to this trend.
Tommaso Cavalli pictured with his family’s vodka
Packaged in a stylish frosted bottle, this is one that has been designed to look elegantly sophisticated. Tall and slender, with an appropriately snake like climbing up it, this is a bottle that suitably reflects the “ultra premium status” of Cavalli’s brands.
The vodka itself is 40% ABV and uniquely is made entirely in Italy. The purest water is taken from the Monta Rosa slopes and the finest of grains come from the valleys where the South-Western Alps meet the River Po, Italy’s longest river. Filtration through flakes of Italian Carrara marble results in a taste that I found subtly peppery with a slight hint of citrus. Roberto Cavalli Vodka, as a result, makes a perfect martini but also works well in long drinks.
Of the vodka that bares his name, Roberto Cavalli concludes:
“I love the pureness of vodka, especially of my vodka: it is like water and fire coming together in a single element.”
If you’re looking to add an element of style to your drinks cabinet, make sure you add a bottle of Roberto Cavalli Vodka. It can only add to your status as one who’ll be considered both super cool and super chic.
