A true pioneer. Paris Hilton pondered her influence on fashion and celebrity culture at the start of the new millennium, and claimed to have invented the selfie long before it became a staple among modern social media users.
In an interview with W Magazine, published on Wednesday, May 10, the hotel heiress, 36, explained why she believes she originated the now-ubiquitous Instagram practice. “If a beeper had a camera, I would have taken a selfie with it,” Hilton told the publication. “I think I have a selfie from when I was a little kid, like on a disposable camera.”
The socialite, who gained notoriety in 2003 thanks to her first reality series, The Simple Life, and a non-consenting starring role in the sex tape 1 Night in Paris, told W that she thinks the advent of social media has made it much easier for others to achieve mainstream stardom.
“We started a whole new genre of celebrity that no one had ever seen before,” Hilton, who has since parlayed her fame into an international lifestyle brand and a perfume empire, said. “Nowadays, I feel like it’s so easy becoming famous. Anybody with a phone can do it.”
During her chat with W, the “Stars Are Blind” singer also reflected on the resurgence of early-2000s trends in today’s style. From trucker hats to Juicy Couture tracksuits, which have found new life in a 2017 Vetements capsule collection, Hilton is flattered that she’s made an impact on Gen X’s sartorial choices. As fans may recall, Kendall Jenner intentionally copied Hilton’s 21st birthday look — a slinky silver mini dress paired with a chunky diamond choker — to celebrate her own special day last November.
“To now see things on the runway, and to see girls wearing things that I used to wear is really cool,” she noted, “because nobody really dressed like me back in the day.”
