Maybe She’s Born With It? A Famous Last Name and More
With Y2K style taking over, we cannot help but get nostalgic over the days of the scandal causing heiresses. How could we forget the headlines of Paris Hilton sneaking out of her family suite at The Plaza to party downtown with Leo? It feels as though, the days of ‘it’ girls are over, but maybe that is because they are more undercover due to the likes of DeuxMoi and the invention of Instagram; society ‘it’ girls have been swapped for ‘Society Influencers’ even if their last names are freshly added in the snoozy New York Social Diary.
So, the new It Girls then, are those heiresses who are no longer solely living off of their family trust, but immersing themselves in philanthropy, the arts, Instagram, and of course, becoming an entrepreneur. There is nothing that screams modern American royalty like creating your own lasting legacy.
So, then who are the actual ‘it’ girls’ of 2021; the ones with the last names and royal titles that no number of followers or money can buy?
Scroll below to see the Recreational Habits Class of ’21 ‘It’ Girls.
Princess Talita Natasha von Fürstenberg, commonly called Talita or TVF
Age: 22
Education: Georgetown University and transferred to New York University
Talita is the granddaughter of fashion royalty Diane von Fürstenberg and Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, so you know she was raised with a stylish influence. Although the young socialite has a royal title, it seems that she grew up in LA like a normal LA kid with famous parents. Her travels and moments are mainly seen through her Instagram to her 200k+ followers, but more than anything TVF seems like a down to earth, pretty, young 20 something trying to make a name for herself. The model, socialite turned fashion designer (big surprise) released her own fashion line ‘TVF for DVF’ in 2019 to rave reviews. Unlike most influencer clothing lines however, TVF has continued to release a new collection into her third season.
Age: 35
Education: London Academy of Music & Art
Daughter to Nigerian oil billionaire, Chief Oladipo Jedesimi and English socialite Suzanna Mcquiston, Emma Thynn is Britain’s first black Marchioness. Her marriage to Ceawiln Thynn aka Viscount Weymouth in 2013 caused quite a scandal, as both parents of Ceawiln did not attend the nuptials. Although the parents of the groom would be considered far from conservative in most circles (the father had 72 ‘wifelets’), it is clear there were racist comments thrown toward Emma’s Nigerian background. Despite the controversy, Emma maintained a graceful public appearance through it all and has continued the legacy as chatelaine of the historic Longleat House and safari with style and elegance. She is officially the 8th Marquess of Bath, a role which she takes on with enthusiasm despite the strained relationship to her mother-in-law (FIL passed away due to Covid). This modern Romeo and Juliet love story has a happy ending however, as the couple are raising two beautiful children together, all while Emma serves as an unofficial middle finger to the boring uptight conservatives in English aristocracy. In her free time, she serves as a fashion editor at British Vogue, amongst her other household and public facing roles. Follow her on Instagram here!
Victoria Tang-Owen
Age: 35
Education: Central Saint Martins
Victoria Tang was born into eccentricity. Her father was Sir David Wing-cheung Tang, knighted by the Queen mother herself, and was known for establishing the China Club and Shanghai Tang, amongst other more colorful quirks. Although Victoria’s father had a huge rolodex and special knack for throwing hedonistic parties, it seems our wise heiress is leaning toward a much quieter lifestyle. After her father’s passing, Victoria has taken helm at Shanghai Tang as Creative Director while also managing her creative agency Thirty30 Creative which boasts impressive clients like Lane Crawford and Max Mara.
Age: 28
Education: Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel
If you watched 2 minutes of Vogue’s livestream from the 2021 Met Gala, then you know why Keke is on our list; she knows everyone, and everyone loves her! You may be familiar with Keke from your childhood as a regular on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, and more recently on Scream Queens and alongside Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers. She has since gone on to hosting several daytime talk shows and was the first woman of color to ever host the MTV Video Music Awards in 2020. She literally oozes talent – follow her here!
Gaïa Jacquet-Matisse
Age: 28
Education: New York University
As the only great-great-granddaughter of one of the most prolific artists to ever live and comes from a long lineage of artists making it no surprise that she is an artist herself. She has been spotted on the runways of fashion week and in the company of the OG herself, Paris Hilton, Gaïa might be the closest thing we have to the authentic party girl in 2021. Follow Gaïa’s adventures here.
Natalia Bryant
Age: 18
Education: University of Southern California
Natalia Bryant is the daughter of late basketball superstar, Kobe Bryant. She made her MET Gala debut this year and recently signed a modeling contract with IMG. At just shy of 6 feet tall, this California cool girl is ready to take the world by storm. She was the September cover star of Teen Vogue, and we know this won’t be her only fashion magazine cover.
Hikari Mori
Age: 29
Education: Her Iconic Grandmother
Hikari is fashion ROYALTY and a big animal lover. She was the first Japanese native to attend the Met Gala in 2018 and her grandmother was famed Japanese couturier Hanae Mori who dressed Princess Grace of Monaco, Nancy Reagan and many others! She currently is an actress and model, having worked with Tiffany & Co. Gucci and has graced the pages of Vogue. You can likely find her sitting front row at Fashion Week or gallivanting down the red carpet at film festivals. Follow her on Instagram here!
Christina Lewis Halpern
Age: 40
Education: Harvard University
Christina is the daughter of Reginald F. Lewis, the first African American to own a billion-dollar company and a pioneer on Wall Street! She founded All Star Code in 2013, a nonprofit organization that teaches computer skills during a summer intensive to Black and Latinos. The program continues to run and as of 2018 had more than 290 successful graduates. Her work has been honored by the White House and several other top organizations.
Ariana Rockefeller
Age: 39
Education: Columbia University
The list of powerful American last names is short, but ‘Rockefeller’ certainly has a spot on it! She is a model, philanthropist, equestrian, fashionista, and has been on the New York Botanical Garden’s Winter Ball committee for many years. Follow her glamorous life here.
Jessica Wang
Age: 30
Education: NA, but she had a banking job at Morgan Stanley before creating her own personal brand
Jessica Wang burst onto the fashion scene in 2014 when she launched her fashion blog, NotJessFashion and has amassed a global audience with her high fashion and classic look. She is a wife and mother to two; making mommy-hood look chicer than ever! She has worked with Burberry, Chanel, YSL and many other fashion houses. Follow Jessica on IG here!
Chance, D'Lila, and Jessie Combs
Age: D’Lila and Jessie (Twins) 14
Age: Chance Combs 15
The twin daughters of Diddy and the late Kim Porter made their modeling debut at the 2021 Dolce & Gabbana show in Venice, Italy, alongside their half-sister, Chance Combs. The trio also graced the pages of Vanity Fair’s September cover with their father. While the beautiful trio are a bit young to make their first entrepreneurial move, we know their father, Sean Combs, has a plethora of business opportunities waiting for them. Move aside the Kardashians and Hadid’s, there is a new family empire taking over Hollywood.
Charlotte Freud
Age: 21
Education: NA
Charlotte is the granddaughter of Rupert Murdoch from her mother’s side and the great-great granddaughter to the infamous psychologist, Sigmund Freud, from her father’s side. Known for her wild ways and Cruella De Ville-esque hair, she has shared dance floors with Bradley Cooper and many other A-listers. Currently, she moonlights as a recording artist under the name Tiarlie to avoid her famous last name, although we doubt she avoids any turned heads. Over the summer she announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend and DJ, Lukey Story. He proposed on their anniversary on the Greek island of Santorini (#goals). She doesn’t post on IG often, but you can follow her account here.
