Tara Reid

Tara Reid is an American model, actress and activist. She began her career in the early 2000s and has since walked the runway for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, including Gucci, Escada and Prada. She has appeared in numerous top tier magazines including Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. She is known for her work with Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren and recently opened her own stores in New York and Milan.

Reid has been featured in commercials for Pantene, Nivea, Revlon, and Olay and has appeared in music videos by Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Janet Jackson.

Early Life

Reid was born in New York City and raised in Massachusetts. Her father, Jack, is a lawyer and her mother, Barbara, is a social worker. She has two older brothers: John and Peter. The family attended the Greenwich School of the Sacred Heart and then moved to the Blue Hills School in Natick, Massachusetts. She graduated from the Sacred Heart School in 1996. While at school, she attended private parties where she met famous designers including Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. She then went on to study Business Economics at Boston University but dropped out after a year.

In 2001, Reid turned to fashion and signed with the Ford Model Company. She was subsequently placed in various designer shows including Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. It was at this time that she began to learn about the fashion industry and discovered that she enjoyed the work.

Career

In 2002, Reid started her own public relations company, Reid Management, and began working with major brands including Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. She helped develop their corporate social responsibility agenda and was responsible for press and social media activity. She regularly appeared in magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar, walking their runways and documenting their work for the magazines.

In 2006, Reid signed with Next Management and began working with top designers such as Fendi and Givenchy. She subsequently landed one of the biggest jobs in the history of the fashion industry when she was chosen to become the face of Dolce & Gabana. She was the first American to be chosen for the prestigious position. Dolce & Gabana is one of the most iconic and well-known Italian fashion houses. The company had previously named Margherita Patti, an Italian woman, as their face. But after consulting with the American and Italian boards of directors, as well as the family of the late designer Enzo Petit, they decided to give the job to Reid. She was photographed wearing designer costumes and had her hair and makeup done by renowned stylists. The resulting images were published all over the world.

In 2009, Reid became the face of the Tommy Hilfiger collection and was featured in the company’s advertisements and catalogs. She was also appointed the company’s fashion director and had a hand in designing new pieces for the 2009 fall and winter men’s and women’s fashion lines. She was responsible for overseeing the design, production and distribution of all merchandise, including clothing and accessories. 

In 2010, Reid opened a store in Milan, Italy, where she is represented by a full-time personal sales assistant and a part-time head stylist. She also has a store in New York City. As the face of Tommy Hilfiger, she oversaw the design, production and distribution of nearly all of the company’s merchandise, including its clothing, accessories, and fragrances. The store in Milan was built following designs by the Italian mid-century masters, Salvatori. It features a steel frame and glass brick and is designed to look like a piece of modern art. She worked with architects and designers to create a space that was both functional and aesthetic.

Personal Life

Reid is married to Mark Thorne, a partner at the venture capital firm WndrCo. They wed on April 26, 2005, in an intimate garden wedding surrounded by friends and family. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Summer, in October 2011.

Reid has been an active voice in the fight against global warming and has invested heavily in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. She is a member of the Water Team, an environmental group that is part of The Nature Conservancy. She has also supported various social justice organizations including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.