I was in New York City celebrating my 100th column and I couldn’t think of a better person to interview than Bravo’s star of "The Real Housewives of New York City", Countess LuAnn de Lesseps. LuAnn has been the main star since the show aired back in 2008. LuAnn was gracious, funny, genuine, and oh, did I mention, strikingly gorgeous with her signature low cut hairstyle and chic leather boots. As the first celebrity I interviewed in person, she made the experience, comfortable, smooth, and pleasurable! She dished and opened up about everything on her plate, speaking of plate, she has a new line of tableware that will be featured on QVC this spring. A collection that is based on her travels in Italy, the Amalfi Coast, and of course, Morocco! LuAnn and I dished from everything about her daughter Victoria’s successes while in college, Fashion Week, and of course, “The Real Housewives of New York” and will she be back or not? Take a read from the full interview below:
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How was Fashion Week for you this year?
Countess LuAnn: “I was traveling this year, so I didn’t do a lot of shows. I was only able to make it to the Zang Toi show, who has been on the show before, he also gave me this fabulous coat to wear…I went and had a great time, and I was sitting next to Maksim from “Dancing With The Stars” I was also there with Cynthia from Atlanta, it was a great show. I’ve done so many shows in the past with the housewives, so this year, I decided to take a break (laughs).”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How is your daughter, Victoria?
Countess LuAnn: “Victoria is doing fantastic! She is enjoying school, I must say that she has her own style as an artist, and she’s loving it. She’s close by, which is nice, and we get to still see each other…we’re actually going to see Cinderella on Broadway. It’s amazing to see her become such an amazing young woman and supporting her while she is crafting her art.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What qualities of yourself do you see in Victoria?
Countess LuAnn: “She is very unspoiled, humbled, and I must say she’s a very faithful person.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How is your son, Noel?
Countess LuAnn: “He has his own skateboarding company at www.fancyfoolskateboard.com and he is also very creative and artistic. Noel’s artistic side comes as a little surprise, as he enjoys being outside…he enjoys, skiing skateboarding, fishing, and camping. He has his own style and he really enjoys drawing characters, and I even talked with him about doing a children’s book with him because the art work and sketches are so amazingly done. I have two great kids, and I’m very proud of them…I’m very lucky.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What can you tell us about season 6 and the status of the show?
Countess LuAnn: “I think that they (Bravo) don’t want to see another winter in New York, but want to see spring and summer…taking it back to The Hamptons in our sun dresses…like we used to be. We’ve taken a little break until they’ve decided to start filming, which I think is in the spring. I think that they want to bring a new woman on or two, and getting that together.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What’s your motto/mind frame going into this year?
Countess LuAnn: “I think it’s very hard to predict how you will act in a future situation, I think it’s better to go in it without having a game plan, because otherwise you will see it on camera. I always try to keep peace…which never happens (laughs). I have some great things coming up, especially my tableware line that I will be promotion on QVC which I hope to showcase on the show. My relationships with the women are the relationships with the women, kind of picking up where we left off last season. I don’t see too much of the other women when we’re not filming… I see Sonja, Heather, and I run into Ramona and Aviva socially.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Do you think there will be less fighting this year?
Countess LuAnn: “Darling, you never know when you start the season what’s going to happen. It’s hard to be predictable.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What advice would you give to the new girl(s) who may join the show?
Countess LuAnn: “To be natural and just be yourself…the minute you try to be someone else, the viewers will pick that up instantly!”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): You’re tableware line, how fabulous! How great is it to partner with QVC to promote it?
Countess LuAnn: “I worked on this collection with a great Italian designer and we created a line that’s about my experiences and my travels. I also have a collection called “Gotham” which is very art deco and more about city, while the other line is more spring/summer which represents The Hamptons in nice turquoise and red colors…people are going to enjoy it because it’s affordable and fun for spring and summer.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How has it been to have this finally come to fruition and how hands on have you been in the process?
Countess LuAnn: “It has been great, and the designers that I’m working with are knowledgeable and have a great history in the tableware industry. It’s a great combination when we work together, I wanted it to be very personal to me and tie it back to my personal experiences. I’m totally a part of the designs and the whole process, and I couldn’t be happier about it after working on it for several months now. I was so thrilled that QVC signed on to take the collection.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Three adjectives to describe the line?
Countess LuAnn: “Fun…chic…and affordable. I think together all of those three things important to the line. I’m also going to be doing a box set collection, it has everything inside…it’s like the Countess toolkit (laughs). I’m also expanding to have a place card in the box with the proper table setting, so families can teach children how to set the table. The most important thing is that it doesn’t have to cost much, you can have a beautifully designed table, and it won’t set you back.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How have you been enjoying your time in between The Hamptons and the Upper West Side?
Countess LuAnn: “I love The Hamptons! Jacques has to be in the city to work, and I want to be with him and my children…I try to juggle in between both, and the kids encourage me to go into the city. It works out just well for me, but I can never get enough of The Hamptons.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How did you Jacques spend your Valentine’s Day?
Countess LuAnn: “We went to Chez Josephine’s for dinner, which is my favorite place. Had a great dinner…we were actually sitting next to the girl who does all the marketing for Playboy Magazine, it was a great night, she promised to send their latest lingere collection. Prior to that in the morning, he brought me breakfast in bed with a big bouquet of white tulips. It was a perfect start of the day for me.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Can we expect a wedding for our favorite Countess?
Countess LuAnn: “I hope that one day we will get married…I’m going to leave it up to him, I want it to be spontaneous and I don’t want him to feel pressured by Sonja (laughs). There’s no pressure and we love each other and that’s all that matters.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What are you most looking forward to this year, the new season, and 2013?
Countess LuAnn: “I’m actually looking forward to singing again…I’ve put it on the back burner, but I really do miss it…but I want to do something else, maybe not dance. Aside from that stay tuned!”
It was such an incredible experience to meet and interview New York City’s favorite Countess. Be sure to check out LuAnn’s website: www.countessluann.com for the exclusive details for her tableware line which will be appearing on QVC this spring as well as some of Victoria’s amazing artwork. I must say I am missing “The Real Housewives of New York” but I am confident that when they return, they will bring it and with LuAnn’s new ventures of her lifestyle brand, it will make for a very interesting and entertaining season. Keep up to date with LuAnn and follow her on twitter @CountessLuann. You can also order a copy of her book on etiquette and manners, Class With the Countess, and check out her her music videos, Money Can’t Buy You Class and Chic, C'est La Vie.
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