New York City may be the fashion capital of the Western world, but Los Angeles is gaining on its heels.

L.A. Fashion week is a star studded event. This time instead of the celebrities in the front row, they’re behind the scenes running the show.

The less famous of the Hilton sisters, only because she never made a porno, Nicky showed of her high-end Nicholai line. It was a family affair with her parents, Kathy and Rick; and big sis Paris along with her flavor of the month Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden — lined the runway.

The latest designs from the younger Hilton girl included trench coats, knit tops, houndstooth accents and lots of leather trim. Nicky debuted the more-expensive Nicholai line at New York Fashion Week last year. She launched her first clothing line — the casual Chick by Nicky Hilton — in 2004.

Another famous for just being famous celeb that now has a fashion line is Lauren Conrad. MTV’s reality soap opera star of The Hills made her designer debut without the TV crew in tow.
L.C., as her friends and frienemies call her, told the AP that she did not want the cameras at the fashion show.

“I kinda like that it’s separate,” she said “It’s not something that I really want to be part of a reality television show. It’s a career I want beyond my 15 minutes.”

Conrad’s debut featured 30 different looks from her fall 2008 line. Flowy wraps and strapless dresses were accented with touches like leather gloves and berets. Conrad said the oh-la-la designs were inspired by her recent trip to Paris, which will be documented on “The Hills” when it returns March 24.

Fellow “Hillers” Whitney Port, Audrina Patridge, Lauren “Lo” Bosworth and Brody Jenner lined the front row of Stage One at Smashbox Studios. On-screen adversaries Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, however, were nowhere to be seen. The remaining recognizable faces in the audience were like a who’s who of Laguna Beach alumni.

Kristin Cavallari, who infamously feuded with Conrad on their sun-kissed “Hills” predecessor, was perched next to Jenner pal Frankie Delgado. Meanwhile, Dieter Schmitz and Stephen Colletti, the boy Conrad and Cavallari clashed over in high school, sat on the other side of the catwalk.

Sigh, does high school drama ever end?

Items from The Lauren Conrad Collection are sold exclusively in the area at First Date Boutique, 28 Chestnut St. in Andover.