First there was the McConnaissance: Matthew McConaughey’s seemingly expert transition from sub-par rom-com box office fodder to Serious Actor. Then, inexplicably, there was the Craig David comeback, as the beloved garage star came out of the Bo Selecta woods and found that the UK public still had a place in their hearts for him. More recently, (and less successfully) there’s been Tony Blair’s attempt at making a return to politics. And now, by some glitch in the Matrix (a startlingly relevant comparison, by coincidence) there’s the Paris Hil-return (OK, so that’s not my best ever portmanteau pun, but I’m working on it…)
One thing that separates Paris from her fellow comeback kids is that crucially, she hasn’t changed and she never actually went away. It’s our fondness for all things late nineties/early noughties that has returned – and with it, our interest in Hilton. Think about it: is there any celebrity that typifies our newfound love of this era in time – the fashion, the frivolity, the fun – than Paris? We have a habit of looking back with rose-tinted glasses on eras gone-by (although in this case, they’d be oversized and designer), seeing only the good old days rather than the reality (let us not forget, the early noughties saw George W. Bush in the White House and the birth of autotune), but if we’re doing that, we may as well focus on someone who made a career out of having a good time back then (and now).
In an era when anyone with a camera phone can become a ‘celebrity’, there’s something poignantly relevant about Paris. After all, she was the first self-declared ‘socialite’ – someone who was famous for being famous – and was an influencer a decade before the term even came into existence. She claims to have invented the selfie; she was one of the first successful reality TV stars and she can even be credited with spawning the sprawling monster that is the Kardashians. Hell, she was even championing Millennial Pink before some millennials were born. W magazine’s recent profile of Paris – titled ‘Paris Hilton invented everything you’re doing in 2017, and she knows it’ – says it all. But perhaps her weirdest claim to relevance in 2017? She has known Donald Trump her entire life.
Then there’s her fashion. Now, we can’t convincingly argue that ALL noughties fashion trends making a comeback right now are down to Paris – after all, everyone knows that fashion is cyclical, but some of the biggest trends are her signature looks. The Juicy Couture tracksuit, which she helped make popular, has been given the 2017 makeover courtesy of It brand Vetements. Then there’s the return of the choker, diamantes, rhinestones, graphic tees, tiaras, fishnet tights… basically all the ingredients for a Paris Hilton Barbie doll are currently on the catwalk and in a Topshop near you. Kendall Jenner, one of the It girls of the moment, copied Paris’s iconic chainmail dress for her 21st birthday at her own milestone party - something Paris was actually at. (She was quoted as saying 'Oh my god that dress is stunning.')
Obviously, there are certain aspects of Paris the brand which do feel at odds with the moment – but that’s ironically also part of the appeal. For example, her showy, decadent, party girl lifestyle – you won’t find Ms. Hilton with a green smoothie at a Pilates class anytime soon. Her home is littered with portraits of herself, she has legions of tiny Pomeranian dogs and she has so much stuff, she was famously a victim of the so-called Bling Ring burglary group six times before she even noticed anything was missing. Paris isn’t going to pretend she’s ‘grounded’ or ‘normal’ anytime soon, watching Netflix in her PJs, and we like her for it. She harks back to a bygone age of ‘diva’ celebrities who fascinated and enthralled the public – from Elizabeth Taylor to Mariah Carey.
While her career as a popular reality TV star on The Simple Life and omnipresence on the front row at New York fashion Week are (sadly for us) long behind her, she's long since carved a caeer for herself as a DJ - one who commands a reported cool $1 million per gig. She's also got her aforementioned 'brand' - in 2016, she released her 20th perfume.
I was recently introduced to Paris at a party in LA (‘met’ seems to over-exaggerate our interaction) and was suitably star-struck. Why? When I’ve interviewed countless other A-listers – Oscar-winners, for God’s sake! – and barely batted an eyelid? Because she’s Paris Hilton. No one commands a room quite like her; she’s undeniably one of the most famous people in the world, up there with the likes of the Queen and David Beckham in terms of recognisability, and there were still people clamouring to take a picture with her (and her light-up phone) or even just stare at her – in 2017. She exists outside the realms of normal humanity – she’s not ‘just like us’ – and that’s hot…
READ MORE: Paris Hilton Speaks Out After Kendall Copied Her Birthday Dress