'I KNOW WHO I AM'

Paris Hilton reflects on family life, her Karl Lagerfeld fashion line and why her party days aren't over

- INTERVIEW: MIRANDA THOMPSON

The moment Paris Hilton knew she'd stepped out of her famous family's shadow manifested in the most unexpected way.

"I'll never forget when my grandfather [Barron, the son of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton] told me he's now known as 'Paris Hilton's grandfather,” she recalls to Hello! “That's when I realized I had truly made it."

It was a pivotal point for the heiress, entrepreneur and fashion influencer, who has spent the past two decades proving there's so much more to her than an iconic last name.

The ultimate party girl of the early 2000s, Paris lit up the Los Angeles nightlife scene alongside the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Nicole Richie - her close friend and costar in The Simple Life, which turned them both into global superstars when it hit TV screens in 2003.

Behind the scenes, though, she was quietly building an empire which includes fragrance, skin care, cookware and a thriving side gig as a DJ - as well as looking forward to becoming a wife and mom some day.

"2005 Paris was all about living in the moment, having fun and being that carefree party girl," she tells us. "2025 Paris is still that - I'll always love a good night out - but now I have more wisdom, more focus and the most beautiful family by my side.