October 30, 2007
Ivanka was featured on today's Oprah : What the Stylemakers Can't Live Without
This stylemaker's last name is about as famous as it gets! At age 25, Ivanka Trump—daughter of Donald Trump—co-stars with her dad on
The Apprentice, works as vice president of real estate development at the Trump Organization and just came out with her own fine jewelry line.
From a young age, Ivanka says she knew she would work in real estate development. "That is my first and my real love," she says. "There's something about real estate. I think it's partially in the blood. But there's also something so gratifying to see something that you've worked so hard on come to fruition before your eyes and hopefully stay there long after you're gone."
Born in a privileged family, Ivanka says she can see where wealth can confuse some children. "I think it is hard and I think you can see that difficulty reflect itself in the lifestyles of various wealthy children or children of very accomplished parents," she says. "So they react in two ways. They either use the negative energy that people project on them—saying they'll never live up to [their parents]—[and] sort of embrace that and harness that and use that to propel them forward, or it paralyzes them."
Ivanka says growing up Trump helped develop her ambition in life. Her parents gladly contributed to her education, she says, but made her work for the material things she wanted. "My parents always made me know that I couldn't feel entitled about the things in which they gave me. And that was the key for me," she says. "Everything they had, I knew to be theirs. If I wanted it, I knew what it was, I knew the benefits of ultimately getting there, but I would have to work my butt off. So that's what I've been doing."
Ivanka takes us inside her New York apartment for a glimpse at how she lives outside the board room. One thing she can't live without? A backgammon table. "This is actually sort of game central over here. I have Monopoly, I have Cranium, I have Clue. I'm very competitive. So even these silly childhood games I take rather seriously," she says.
She also has a fascination with monkeys. One of her favorite pieces is a garbage can featuring a drunk monkey. "I carted a garbage can back from somewhere in the south of France as a carry-on, and I'm very happy I did it," she says.
Two things Ivanka says she can't live without are her photos and a digital video recorder. "Now I can actually watch the television that I want to watch," she says.
Reading has always been a major part of Ivanka's life. "Most of my books have to do with historical fiction," she says. Right now, she's reading a book called
Great Fortune about the building of Rockefeller Center. Ivanka also devours newspapers. She reads
The Wall Street Journal,
The New York Times, the
New York Post and the
New York Daily News every morning. On Wednesdays, she reads
The New York Observer.
Ivanka also likes to bring a touch of nature to her home. "Growing up, one of the things we always had in our house at all times was flowers. I love fresh cut flowers. Roses. Tulips…white orchids," she says. "Clean, simple arrangements."
When she's ready to unwind, Ivanka slips on a bathrobe. "Bathrobes for me are one of those odd but absolute must-haves. I walk into my apartment, I put on a bathrobe, and that's it. I'm done for the night."
Underneath it all, Ivanka admits one addiction—ChapStick. "Love it," she says. "I have it all over my apartment. That I can't live without."
Above all, Ivanka says she loves real estate and New York City. She takes in the view from a $42 million penthouse at Trump Park Avenue. "That's the aspirational view within my building," she says. "I'm on the sixth floor of that same building, so my view is beautiful yet not quite that."
Another one of Ivanka's loves is jewelry. "Jewelry makes you feel pretty, you know? It's always nice having a little sparkle by your face," she says. "Now I have the fun of having my own line. I just love it."
Ivanka says the idea of developing her jewelry line—The Ivanka Trump Collection—came about naturally. "I'd follow my mom, traipsing around New York City and the world, stealing the pieces I encouraged her to buy," she says. "So now she's exacting revenge. She's going into my store every day and clearing me out of inventory saying she's entitled to do so after 25 years of me stealing her things."
While working on her line, Ivanka says her goal was to create a nonintimidating line inspired by women. "You walk into the store setting and it looks like a female boudoir. I think you go into some of these jewelry stores, especially in high-end, and they feel like a mausoleum. They're so cold and intimidating and they're not really for women," she says. "And I think now there's a whole generation of empowered, strong women who can afford to buy their own jewelry. Not to say they don't love getting it from men as well, but there are women who will go in and see a beautiful pair of earrings and will treat themselves. And we wanted to encourage that."
source | oprah.com