Sophia Hutchins, who was the manager and close friend of Caitlyn Jenner, has tragically died in a road collision at the age of 29.
Hutchins had been driving an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) on the road near her home in Malibu when she reportedly ran into another car's bumper. According to a report in TMZ, the impact sent the vehicle 'plunging 350 feet down into a ravine.' Hutchins was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The two people in the car hit by Hutchins’ ATV, but they were not injured in the crash.
Sophia Hutchins relationship with Caitlyn Jenner explained:
Hutchins, who is also transgender, was a close friend of Jenner's, and also had a good relationship with Kris. She first met Jenner in 2015 when she came out as transgender, when they were introduced via a makeup artist. She became Jenner's manager in 2017 and the pair developed a close bond, with Hutchins even living in Jenner's home. Hutchins, who was the CEO of a now-defunct beauty brand called Lumasol. Sophia later appeared in several episodes of the E! docuseries 'I Am Cait' and the reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Hutchins also worked as CEO and director of the Caitlyn Jenner Foundation, a non-profit organisation that 'promotes equality and combats discrimination' against transgender people. In a 2019 interview with The New York Times, Hutchins explained she offered to manage Jenner because she noticed 'all these people taking massive advantage' of her. 'I was saying: "Caitlyn, if I don’t step in here and start managing you, you’re going to go broke"' she told the outlet.
Their pair's close friendship led to incorrect reports that they were dating each other with Hutchins confirming in a 2018 New York Times interview that this was never the case, saying 'We were never romantically involved.'
Hutchins elaborated on her close friendship with Jenner on The Hidden Truth podcast, where she said 'I wouldn’t describe it as romantic. I would describe it as: we’re partners, business partners.'
She continued: 'We have so much in common and see the world so similarly, and are both such a good match for each other because we challenge each other. We’re partners in everything we do – we’re inseparable, we’re business partners, we live together, we share a dog, we share family, we share a life together.'
Hutchins also shared a close bond with Kris and the daughters she shared with Caitlyn - Kendall and Kylie. 'I'm on good terms with all the family, but I'm closest with Kris, Kim, Kylie and Kendall', she said.
Speaking on the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast in 2020, she elaborated on this friendship. 'It’s not like we’re like girlfriends having drinks all the time, but you know, if there’s ever a concern or ever a question or anything I have needed help with, Kris would be the first phone call,' she said.
Jenner has yet to make a statement about the loss, but tributes have been flooding in across the internet. One user wrote on X 'That's heartbreaking news. Sophia Hutchins was a vibrant presence, and her tragic loss at just 29 in such a horrific ATV accident is devastating. My thoughts are with her loved ones and Caitlyn Jenner during this difficult time. RIP.'
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.