Olivia Palermo (born February 28, 1986) is an American socialite, model and actress. She was a cast member of the cancelled reality television show, The City.

Early life

The daughter of real estate developer of Italian descent Douglas Palermo and interior designer Lynn Hutchings, Palermo grew up between the Upper East Side, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut where she attended Nightingale-Bamford School then finally St. Luke’s School, where she was on the field hockey team. She attended the American University of Paris for a year and studied media at The New School in New York.

She interned at Quest. Photographer Patrick McMullan spotted her at an auction, then took pictures of her about town. Palermo has taken part in many charity events in New York. Palermo found herself at the center of a controversy when she was accused of sending out a letter to fellow socialites pleading for acceptance. This letter was forwarded to the owners of the social website, SocialiteRank.com who promptly published it. Palermo immediately denied the authenticity of the letter and filed a lawsuit against the website. The website was eventually shut down and in May 2007, Palermo appeared on the cover of New York Magazine in a story about the incident.

Career
The City (2008–2010)

She denied rumors in 2008 that she would be a part of The City, a spin-off the MTV’s cultural phenomenon “The Hills” but was later confirmed as a cast member. She agreed to star in the series to familiarize herself with acting. She was signed to Wilhelmina Models in 2009 and also launched a jewelry line with Roberta Freymann in 2010. In February 2010 Olivia became a spokesmodel for Matches Fashion’s Freda label ahead of London Fashion Week.

New Reality Show (2010–present)

On November 19, she told ELLE.com that she is working on her own reality show. She said, “I’m currently working on a TV project, my own show”. The Show will follow her launching her own fashion line.

Personal life

She has been dating model Johannes Huebl since 2008.

Fashion and Style

She is often seen on the front rows of fashion shows and has created a collection of necklaces in collaboration with Roberta Freymann. In December 2010, she was named one of the year’s best dressed people.

Philanthropy

Palermo is a member of the Friends Committee of New Yorkers For Children and on the committee of Operation Smile.