After David LaChapelle photographed her and her sister Nicky for the September 2000 issue of Vanity Fair, Hilton was proclaimed 'New York's leading It Girl' in 2001. She ventured into modeling at age 19, signing with Donald Trump's agency Trump Model Management. She first attracted tabloid attention in the late 1990s, when she became a fixture in NYC's late-night scene. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, Hilton is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. Paris Whitney Hilton Reum (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, socialite, businesswoman, model, singer, DJ, and actress.