Pretty Little ThingsYou may have just heard Sofia Richie is the new face of e-tailer PrettyLittleThing—but this deal has been in the works for months.
We only found out a few weeks ago, when we went behind the scenes at the brand's campaign photo shoot. At the Hollywood Downtowner Inn, a large neon "Motel" sign, faded crimson awnings and intimate courtyard worked together to create a retro 1960s set.
In a small room outfitted with bouncy beds, hairstylist (and E! Style Collective's) Scotty Cunha combed through Sofia's strands as she sat in a high-top makeup chair. The room was filled with people on cell phones and assistants moving clothing racks back and forth.
When it's time for our exclusive interview, it's clear the 18-year-old, clad in black FENTY Puma x Rihanna lace-up sweatpants, is confident in her own skin.
"I have a tough personality but then have a very soft side to me," she explained. "I'm kind of a tomboy but I throw it together with girly pieces. For instance, I'm wearing these sweatpants but they have all these holes up the side so I'm showing some leg. I feel like I'm wearing sweatpants so it's sporty but also sexy."
Sofia's love for fashion started at age 10, when her mom made her pick out her own outfits for school. And just like her famous sister, Nicole Richie, her current approach to style is something to behold.
"I don't really keep up with trends; I just wear what I want. I don't really let anyone's opinion get to me," she noted. "I stay in my own head."
Sort of like Rihanna, who Sofia considers a fashion role model.
"I think she dresses how she wants to dress. And I think that's really cool because, these days, you run into people that dress to fit certain stereotypes, and I just like someone who is being themselves. I sound like a Rihanna obsessor," she added while laughing. "I usually listen to Rihanna the whole time. Music is a big thing for me when I'm shooting. It gets me in a groove."
Her hair now finished and makeup almost done, one can't help but notice her supple, olive-toned skin. Even at a young age, it's handled with care.
"I sleep in coconut oil," clarified the budding model. "I just soak in it...in my hair, on my face, on my skin, all over—it's kind of my thing. Growing up, my dad [Lionel Richie] used to do it. He still does. So as a kid I would just cover myself in coconut oil, because I used to go like this to my dad [she rubbed her arm] all the time, and I would tell him how soft he was. I wanted to be soft...that's a weird way to describe myself."
Weird? Maybe. Accurate? Entirely.