Nicole Richie is one of the few celebrities I can honestly say I’ve wanted to be friends with for over a decade. For one thing, she’s delightfully unfiltered—a trait which came to light when the comedic gold that was The Simple Life first aired, and which is prominently on display in her new VH1 show, #CandidlyNicole. And for another, her accessories collections are the stuff dreams are made of, and what are friends for if not to play dress up in one another’s closets?
Well, the dream may not quite be a reality yet, but I did get the chance to sit down with the 32-year-old star this weekend at Bloomingdale’s Soho, where she was greeting fans at the new shop-in-shop for her House Of Harlow 1960 line. Amidst an array of statement-making collars, hefty bangles and glittering earrings, the creative director told me all about her technicolor hair, birthday traditions and one very LA-sounding online purchase:
Lucky: So tell us a bit about the new collection.
Nicole Richie: I was focusing on taking that original House of Harlow Art Deco feel and just really maturing it and having it evolve and grow. I started the line almost seven years ago and it’s something that is very close to my heart, so I wanted to go back into that first season and make it more mature but still keep that luxe, cool Deco feel.
Do you have a favorite piece?
I love the ID necklace. I’ve actually been wearing it all summer. I was lucky enough to get this one early—and I’m always the last one to get my own pieces—but I was able to get this one during the sumer and I’ve been wearing it every day.
This one here [the gypsy feather necklace] reminds me of Game Of Thrones.
I actually haven’t seen the show, unfortunately, but I’ve heard great things from my friends. And I’ve seen the girl with the white hair, so I’m not going to take it as a diss.
Good! It’s definitely not. And as far as what you’re wearing now, you also have some amazing earrings going on.
I think you can only see four [of the holes in my right ear], but I actually have five. These studs are House of Harlow too, actually. I designed them for the Met Gala. I go to Stephanie at Prix in LA every year for my birthday. Five of us girls go. But I just hit cartilage and that was so painful, so I think I’m done. I can’t do it. This one’s a clip (gestures to the ear cuff on her left ear). Literally, my birthday was almost a year ago—and I got my last one late, in December, but I’m not kidding, it just healed. It’s brutal.
We’ve been seeing septum rings everywhere lately. Is that going to be your next piercing?
I like them! I think they look really cool on the right person. But I have allergies. I don’t think that really works for me.
That’s probably a good call. So what are some of the things you’re excited to start wearing this fall?
Well, fall and winter are my favorite seasons to dress for, because they give you an opportunity to really play with layering. I always struggle in the summer and spring because it’s so hot and I always find myself thinking like, ‘I don’t want to dress like a hooker, but I guess I will.’ You know? But I love turtlenecks, I love sweaters—and I’m from LA, so I have all my jackets that I got last year that I never got to wear. I love the idea of layering. I love a turtleneck. I love a long sleeve.
You’ve also been known to love a good dye job. If you had to give your current hair color a name, what would it be?
Oh man, this is intense. When I found the color, I was thinking of muted floral prints. That’s what kind of drew me to this blue. Like if that was next to a blush and a soft green. But let’s go with ‘Boobalicious Blue.’
Love it! Are there any other colors you’re dying to try?
I’m really comfortable in the blue! To me it feels neutral. I don’t even notice it anymore, so I’ll probably stay here for a minute. I don’t have any plans to change it.
What do you do to take care of it?
It really is all about conditioning. So if I’m going to wash my hair the next day, I’ll sleep with coconut oil in it.
And one final thing before you go greet your fans: what’s the last thing you bought online?
The last thing I bought online was a grounding mat. It helps you be more connected to the earth. They say that we’re not as connected because we’re walking in shoes all the time and not walking in bare feet or on grass.
Sep 16, 2014 – Lucky Shops – Written by Hilary George-Parkin
