Lauren Bush Copes With Fame
May 06, 2002 
- www.etonline.com

First niece and rising model LAUREN BUSH is celebrating her selection by clothing designer TOMMY HILFIGER as the image for his Tommy Jeans spring 2002 advertising campaign.

"Lauren is the quintessential all-American girl and is the perfect face for the Tommy Jeans campaign," Hilfiger said of the Elite model. "Besides her natural beauty, she is charming, full of energy and exudes a certain sophistication."

Recently declared "the most glamorous member of America's most powerful family" by Vogue, the 17-year-old beauty is quickly gaining attention in the fashion world. She has graced the covers of W, Town and Country and Tatler.

In an exclusive interview, ET spoke to the full-time high-school student about her two-year contract with Hilfiger, her college studies, and how she spends her time with family and friends.

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: In the overall scheme of the work you've been doing, is this Tommy Hilfiger contract a big deal?

LAUREN BUSH: I've been working with Tommy for two to three years now, and I landed the campaign a few months ago, so I'm very, very excited.

ET: Is it living up to your expectations?

LAUREN: The actual work is great. If you look at the whole crew, it is awesome. I was in the previous spring campaign, so I had an idea of what it was going to be like.

ET: As you've gained more exposure over the last year or two, how has it changed your life? Do you get recognized more when you're out in public?

LAUREN: It's a bit bizarre, really, when people come up to you. It fortunately hasn't happened to me that much because one of the great things about modeling is you look so different in every shoot. I think Tommy's job is where I look the most like me, but I don't get that many people coming up.

ET: You come from a well-known family. Do you always have to remember who your grandfather is, or who your uncle is, in terms of the decisions you make and the jobs you'll take?

LAUREN: I do, but I've been raised by my family in a (certain) environment, so I wouldn't want to embarrass them just as I wouldn't want to embarrass myself, or do anything that would put myself on the line. They go together in a way.

ET: What about acting? Is that something you've thought about at all?

LAUREN: Acting is definitely fascinating to me, but as I said, right now I'm in school and modeling. If it happens eventually, I would love to give it a go, but we'll see. I'm not forcing anything.

ET: I know you're not ready to name names but have you made your final decisions about where you'll be heading to college this fall? And have you thought about your course of study yet?

LAUREN: I've thought about it a lot actually. I'm probably going to study business. I want to learn French and I like art so maybe art history and photography. I have so many interests, so I guess I'm going to have to go to college and feel it out.

ET: What's the biggest misconception people have about you?

LAUREN: I think the biggest misconception people have about me is what you said earlier. People think that since my uncle's the president that now I decided to go be a model. But I've been working to get to this point.

I started three or four years ago. It was just me and my mom shlepping to New York, and staying in friends' apartments. I was with different agencies, and now it makes me appreciate the Tommy campaign. I have worked my way up like other models have.

ET: How has the whole experience as a model changed you over the years?

LAUREN: Obviously, I think everything in my life has progressed and changed me throughout high school and throughout my career. I think modeling has definitely offered me the opportunity to step out of my normal safe world, which has been really beneficial in the end. I've been really lucky to have that opportunity.

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