She’s movin’ on up! Whitney Port is taking her Whitney Eve collection to the big leagues, planning her first-ever solo show at New York Fashion Week in February.

“My collection has grown so much over the past few years, and the next step for me as a designer was to put on my own runway show,” the former reality star said in a release. “I am so excited to show on schedule as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, and can’t wait to show my new fall collection on the runway.”

Port, who starred on MTV’s The Hills and The City, launched her collection in 2008, creating pretty party dresses and tailored, menswear-inspired looks.

“[It's] really colorful and really a mix of business sophisticate with a funky street-girl aesthetic — the good mix of L.A. and New York vibes,” Port told PEOPLE of her line in August. Calling her ideal customer “a girl who’s career oriented and motivated but also likes to have a good time,” she said she was focusing all of her energy on Whitney Eve, telling PEOPLE, “I’m … trying to become a better designer and learn the whole trade.”

FASHION WEEK GUIDE: STAR DESIGNERS YOU MUST KNOW

She designs her own clothing line, but Whitney Port isn’t making any extra room in her closet these days. The former City star tells FabSugar.com that she’s on a “shopping strike.”

“I just moved into a new place and organized my closet, and I realized that I really shouldn’t buy anything else — I literally have stuff with tags still attached — so I’m just going to revamp my existing pieces for fall,” she says. That includes menswear — “I love a pantsuit,” she shares — plus kitten heels.

Port was on hand at Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley, Calif., last week to present the spring 2012 Whitney Eve show and benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation during an “Eve of Hope.” “I have family members that have been affected by the disease, and I really want to stress the importance of early detection,” the starlet shares. “It’s so crucial to go out and get tested, because the earlier they find something, the better chances you have of survival.”

Port’s spring 2012 collection includes tops, skirts, dresses and blazers with stripes, swirls of color and delicate details. “I mostly design what I want to wear myself,” Port explains. “I try to focus on easy pieces, printed rompers, organic jersey dresses and slouchy tees. I really stand by my designs … I poured my heart into this collection.”

Designing has given Port a new appreciation for consumers, too. “I’ve realized just how much it costs to make clothes, and I have become pretty frugal when buying new things,” she shares. “I kind of try to save on everything!” But she does treat herself now and then. “I mostly splurge on bags and shoes,” she says, “because I know I’ll wear them forever.”

YOU ASKED, WE FOUND: STAR LOOKS

If the cast of The Hills ever reunites for a movie version of the MTV series, Whitney Port will certainly have a lot to share with her former costars. The designer has been working on a spring 2012 collection she plans to debut in September at Fashion Week and Fashion’s Night Out.

“I do custom prints, so I have a lot of watercolor things going on,” Port told PEOPLE this summer at the Vans Warped Tour in Carson, Calif. “[It's] really colorful and really a mix of business sophisticate with a funky street-girl aesthetic — the good mix of L.A. and New York vibes.”

The Southern California native is certainly attuned to both coasts’ fashion vibes after living in N.Y.C. for a year working on her Whitney Eve line. But now that she’s back on the West Coast, her personal style is already shifting.

“Right now I’m in a very casual T-shirt and jeans kind of moment,” she said from the To Write Love on Her Arms booth. “Being in L.A. after living in New York for a year, it’s been really easy to just not care as much — especially since I’m not on camera all the time. I like to keep it pretty casual if I don’t have to dress up for anything.”

Of her ideal client, Port said, “She’s a girl who’s career oriented and motivated but also likes to have a good time, someone who works hard and plays hard.”

The Whitney Eve girl doesn’t sound like much of a stretch from the designer, who has been dedicating herself to her burgeoning line since The Hills wrapped last year. “I’m just pretty much devoting all my time to my line and trying to become a better designer and learn the whole trade and then doing little things like this on the side,” she shared.

Case in point: Port joined the To Write Love on Her Arms movement as an ambassador earlier this year and contributed her skills as a designer by hosting a T-shirt design contest and handpicking the winner. (The organization gives hope and help to people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.) She then helped sell the winning shirt at Warped Tour.

“I thought it was really cute and quirky, and I really liked the message,” she explained of the winning design, which reads: ‘You’re always beautiful.’ “I think that obviously everyone is always beautiful, and I just thought the drawing was really cute.”

Being able to participate in the design process for the shirt was also appealing to the fashionista, who says she enjoyed being able to pick the winner. “Because I have a clothing line, it was easy to do this kind of contest,” she said. “I like to see the people enter and see all the creativity that’s out there that people don’t necessarily have an outlet to put through, so I just thought the whole idea was really cool.”

Pick up the winning T-shirt ($18) for a limited time at twloha.com.

–Jessica Wedemeyer

MEET HOLLYWOOD’S MOST STYLISH TEENS AND TWEENS

We know it can be hard to admire stars’ drool-worthy designer ensembles and know you’ll never be able to wear them. But there is a way to have just a little taste of the good life — if only for a few days. We found a handful of looks the stars have worn recently on RenttheRunway.com, the clothes borrowing site that features virtual shelves stocked with dresses by celeb-loved designers like Tibi, Rachel Roy, Hervé Léger and more.

Some red carpet repeats we’ve spotted lately? Ashley Tisdale‘s girlie bow-adorned Robert Rodriguez dress ($75 to rent for four days, $595 retail); Jennifer Aniston‘s flirty Nina Ricci “Perfect Lara” frock ($350 to rent, $3,290 retail); Selena Gomez‘s glam Teen Choice Awards dress by Erin by Erin Fetherston ($75 to rent, $595 retail); and Jennifer Lawrence’s super-sexy strapless Proenza Schouler sheath ($200 to rent, $1,525 retail). And that’s just the beginning. Find more (like Whitney Port‘s Yigal Azrouel) at RentTheRunway.com.

–Alex Apatoff

YOU ASKED, WE FOUND: STAR LOOKS

Many Hollywood actresses spend hours in the makeup chair, getting themselves primped and prettied when they are headed for a night out on the town. But not Whitney Port! She hits the floor for some muscle-pumping moves instead. “Push-ups get me pumped,” Port told PEOPLE at the debut of Superdry USA’s South Street Seaport store on July 13. “I’ll do them before we go out at night.” After all, it’s all about fitting in fitness whenever you can, especially for a world traveler. Port, who recently got back to the United States after spending some time in London and Dublin, says she’s “hardly exercising” when she travels, “which is not so great.” So she compensates by squeezing a little exercise into her daily schedule, even if it’s while she “listen[s] to music and [has] a drink” before hitting the bar or club. Her friends have even come to accept her unusual nighttime routine. “Before it was like, ‘No, please don’t do that,’” laughs Port. “And now it’s just like, ‘Okay, go for it!’” Tell us: What do you think of Port’s pre-party fitness regime? –Hannah Kay Hunt

SEE OTHER STARS’ FITNESS TRICKS IN STARS’ WORKOUT SHOUT-OUTS!

Look who’s riding the redhead wave! Former reality starlet Whitney Port dyed her hair this week, going from the darker red she’d sported this spring to a “tangerine-y red color,” she tells PEOPLE. “I needed a change. I’ve kind of had ADD with my hair color.” Port, who rose to fame with her sun-kissed golden locks, says she was “sick of the blonde,” so she called on colorist Johnny Ramirez of Neil George to spice her hue up a bit. Is another color change in the works, maybe later this summer? “Probably,” she hints. Port, speaking to PEOPLE in New York City during Snapple’s celebration of National Iced Tea Day Friday, said that aside from her hair color, lately she’s focusing strictly on her clothing line, Whitney Eve. “I’m hoping to show [at Fashion Week],” she shares. “I’m working out the details of that right now.” Tell us: Do you prefer Port as a blonde or redhead? –Kate Hogan

SOUND OFF ON STAR HAIR COLOR IN ‘WHAT’S HER BEST HAIR?’

From sleeping with conditioner in their hair to religiously washing their faces at night, stars always have some tricks up their sleeves when it comes to their beauty regime. In this video, some of Hollywood’s most beautiful–including Jennifer Garner, Audrina Patridge, Fergie and Julianne Moore–share their secrets for always looking camera-ready. But as Cindy Crawford so candidly puts it, its not always as easy at it appears—it takes hard work and maintenance. “There are no secrets!”  Crawford jokes. For those of us who don’t wake up in the morning looking flawless like a supermodel, we appreciate all the help we can get from these famous beauties.—Kim Peiffer

SEE MORE BEAUTY STAR SECRETS IN 25 STAR-TESTED BEAUTY TIPS & TRICKS

Courtesy Piperlime

Whitney Port is no stranger to the catwalk, most recently sending her Whitney Eve spring 2011 collection down the runway during New York Fashion Week, but now she’s taking her chic designs online, launching a special capsule collection with E-tailer Piperlime.com! Inspired by a “ballerina-meets-urbanista” motif, the 14-piece assortment of tops, jackets, dresses and sweaters starting at $128 incorporates lace, silk and metallics for a look that’s both smart and cool. The fashionable reality star-turned-designer was on hand to debut the exclusive collection at the Piperlime pop-up store in N.Y.C. Wednesday evening, showing off the cozy sweaters and feminine dresses to a full house. To get your hands on what are sure to become some of fall’s hottest items, check out Whitney Eve with Piperlime online or scoop up some must-have pieces at the N.Y.C. pop-up store in Soho through Oct. 3. – Hana Choi

Courtesy eBay

When it comes to fashion, designer Whitney Port is something of an expert. And yesterday, the L.A. expat brought her style savvy to downtown N.Y.C. to help launch eBay LookBook, a shopable street-style website, and of course, share some of her must-have fall items. “It’s all kind of represented here,” she said of the glimmering racks hung with dress belts, jewelry and shoes–sourced on eBay by celeb stylist Annabel Tollman–that stylish passers-by were popping in to try on and be photographed in for the online look book. “I’m a sucker for leopard,” she continued, raving about a new pair of ankle booties in the print. “And also there’s a whole glam glitz section during the day. Sequins during the day I think is a fun work look as well.” And while Whitney still loves Los Angeles, when it comes to style, New York has won her heart. “I think it’s much more fashion-forward out here. I think people take a lot more pride in how they look and how much time they get ready and everything,” she told PEOPLE. Even if you weren’t lucky enough to be in New York for the launch event, you can take full advantage of the shoppable, user-generated style gallery by uploading a photo of yourself to eBayLookBook.com or catch Whitney and the eBay fashion team in Los Angeles on Sept. 29 where they will set up another street-style shop! –Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester

After making her mark as the first-ever spokesperson for acne-fighting device Zeno, Whitney Port is back in front of the camera–and she’s taking PEOPLE readers along for the ride. “I’ve been outside the whole day, sitting by a pool, so I don’t really know if I could ask for much more,” she says in behind-the-scenes footage of her commercial shoot for Zeno’s newest launch, Heat Treat. And while it might look like Whitney is in sunny L.A., she reveals that it’s all smoke and mirrors. The entire commercial was shot in New York in front of a back-drop dressed up to look like California. Click the video to hear more from the reality starlet–including her beauty must-have. And keep an eye out for her finished commercial which just started airing exclusively on MTV networks. –Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester

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Hollywood was just a little more glamorous on Wednesday when some of Tinseltown’s most stylish stars joined forces with their makeup artists at Dior Beauty’s private luncheon benefiting Operation Smile. Lauren Conrad,Whitney Port, Jessica Simpson, Sharon Stone, Eliza Dushku and others headed to the Sunset Tower Hotel’s Terrace Room, where they sipped champagne and divulged tips that they’ve learned from their makeup pros. “Never use false eyelashes,” Jessica Simpson told PEOPLE of the advice she received from her makeup artist, Jeannia Robinette. “The Shu Uemura eyelash curler and Dior Show [mascara] is what we use, and just keep putting more and more coats on.” Eliza Dushku believes that concealer is key, while Lauren Conrad praised the power of contouring. For Jenna Elfman, it was all about the eyes. “Black eyeliner on my lids. That just changed my eye in a way I had never known,” she said. The face of Dior’s Capture Totale skincare line, Sharon Stone, who did her own makeup for the event, said she learned the secrets of a good moisturizer at a young age. “My mom gave me [Avon] moisturizer when I was an adolescent and said ‘put this on in the morning and the night and you’ll thank me for it later,’” said the beauty icon. “I think really she’s probably the reason why I’m the face of Dior because I ended up having great skin in my mid life, so as a mid-life representative for Dior, I have the luxury of having even more wonderful skincare products at my fingertips.” – Michelle Ward

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It looks like The City‘s girl-next-door Whitney Port is getting ready to shed her wholesome image! The reality starlet and budding fashion designer announced today that she’s posing for racy men’s magazine, Maxim. “Ready to channel my sexy side!!” she wrote on her blog Thursday. “This is a pretty big deal for me because I’ve never done ANYTHING like this before. I’ve done my fair share of photo shoots in my career, but none of them were at the level of sexiness that Maxim is recognized for,” wrote the self-described “cutesy, girl next door type.” An image, it seems, that the reality star is excited to relinquish. “Doing this shoot will give me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and show people an entirely different side of me.” The City‘s celebrated good girl will join the stylish ranks of Maxim alums like Ashley Greene and Megan Fox. To hear more from Whitney and how she got ready for the sizzling shoot, check out whitneyport.com. –Hana Choi

Matt Baron/BEImages

To flawlessly finish her yellow Yigal Azrouel dress at last night’s MTV Movie Awards, Whitney Port decided to go subtle yet chic for her makeup. So the 23-year-old star of The City enlisted some help from makeup artist pal Amy Nadine, who today shared the step-by-step process of how she achieved Whitney’s MTV look, chiming in as a a guest blogger on the star’s web site. “Because Whitney’s Yigal Azrouel dress was such a statement dress, I wanted to create a beautifully soft make-up look that wouldn’t compete,” she wrote on Port’s blog. To achieve a flawless complexion, Nadine applied Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Radiance in #1 with a foundation brush and then followed it with a sweep of Armani’s Loose Powder in #0. For the eyes, Nadine drew a thick and heavy line on Port’s upper eyelids, using CoverGirl LiquiLine “for a 60′s Mad Men-inspired” look. And to add a little flush, Nadine applied CoverGirl Simply Ageless in Plush Peach to the apple of Whitney’s cheeks, while using OCC Lip Tar in Hush to complete the flirty yet high-fashion look. To read Nadine’s step-by-step instructions in their entirety, log onto whitneyport.celebuzz.com today! Tell us: What did you think of Whitney Port’s makeup at yesterday’s MTV Movie Awards show? –David Yi

CHECK OUT ALL THE STARS AT THE MTV MOVIE AWARDS HERE!

Frazer Harrison/Getty

While Whitney Port‘s design career is taking off in stores, on the runway and on-screen, she may have hit her first major hiccup — a lawsuit filed by designer Adrienne Baravetto, who claims she helped Port design and launch her line (then called Eve & A) starting in 2007. As first reported by TMZ.com, Baravetto alleges she had an oral agreement with Port and her father, including a $80,000 yearly salary plus a 25 percent stake in the company. Baravetto also alleges that she did virtually all the design work and that the Ports haven’t paid her a dime. Port’s lawyer Michael A. Taitelman tells PEOPLE, “The lawsuit that Adrienne Baravetto filed on March 19, 2010 against Whitney Eve, Inc., Whitney Port and others regarding the Whitney Eve clothing line is baseless and without merit. Whitney Port is, and always has been, the designer of Whitney Eve. Baravetto worked for Whitney Eve for a short period of time ending in early 2008. For more than two years, she has been silent. For reasons that we will uncover, she has decided to make these unsubstantiated allegations at this time. The defendants will vigorously defend themselves, and upon the successful conclusion of this lawsuit in their favor, they intend to hold Baravetto and her counsel accountable for their reckless conduct.” Says Baravetto’s attorney Peter Maretz, “Ms. Baravetto did the heavy lifting for these designs and she just wants to get paid fairly.”

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

It’s official: Whitney Port is the new spokesperson for acne-fighting device Zeno Hotspot. “My career puts a lot of emphasis on having clear skin,” the MTV reality star explains of why she wanted to partner with the brand and star in a series of print ads and television spots as part of her new role. Among her favorite things about the battery-powered device, which uses heat to stop pimples from forming, is its ability to safely “get rid of blemishes in as little as 24 hours.” As for why the beauty brand chose Whitney–aside from her gorgeous skin, of course–a brand rep tells PEOPLE that the star’s intelligence and maturity were deciding factors: “Whitney has all the qualities we are looking for in a spokesperson. We couldn’t be more thrilled.” The HotSpot has just launched in stores for $40. Click over to myzeno.com to learn more. And tell us: What do you think of Whitney’s appointment as the face of the skin care device? –Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester

It may still be coat weather, but fashion is ready for spring! Whitney Port gives PEOPLE.com an inside look at her latest designs for the upcoming season. From neon cocktail dresses to metallic boyfriend blazers, The City star is bringing on the bling. Watch as Whitney picks her favorites from her latest Whitney Eve collection and discusses her “glass-half-full” approach to fashion. Tell us: Will you be buying Whitney Eve for spring?–Andrea DeSimone

Harper Collins

Lauren Conrad isn’t the only Hills alum working on her literary career. Kelly Cutrone, Lauren’s former boss at PR powerhouse People’s Revolution, is set to release her first book If You Have to Cry, Go Outside…And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You. The book, which will hit shelves February 2, will give girls advice on all areas of life with the same tough-love that the P.R. queen has become known for. “It’s kind of like the good, the bad and the ugly,” Kelly tells WWD. “It covers everything from marriages to relationships to jobs to….Even Ashley Dupré makes a little appearance in my book.” Kelly is no stranger on dishing out advice to young girls, acting as Whitney Port‘s mentor on The City. “I felt like there’s a lot of confusion about what it means to be feminine,” says Kelly. “I wanted to write a book that reached out to young women.” Other than advice, Kelly’s book is full of anecdotes from her personal and professional life as well as motivational tips, like “gather up your courage like an armful of free clothes at a McQueen sample sale,” to encourage up-and comers. And if her recurring role on The City and her new book aren’t enough Kelly for you, the P.R. maven will also be starring in her own reality show for BRAVO, titled Kell on Earth, set to premiere on February 1. So does this mean that Kelly will be retiring from the world of fashion? “P.R. is what I know how to do to make money and it’s what I’m really good at,” she says. “I think it’s a natural thing to say, ‘Oh, OK. Well, now Kelly Cutrone has to leave P.R., but that would be an old model and I’m not really interested in old models…” Hear more from Kelly on her book and future plans at WWD.com. Tell us: Are you excited to see more of Kelly Cutrone in 2010? Will you buy her book?–Andrea DeSimone

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After the successful Bryant Park debut of her fashion label Whitney Eve in September, The City star Whitney Port is busy delivering the Spring collection to retailers, but still found time to chat with WWD about the challenges she faces as a young designer. “Obviously, it’s scary,” she said. “I think it’s really hard to break out right now since the fashion industry is struggling. I mean, people don’t want to spend their money on clothes right now–it’s a luxury … I think my biggest competition is myself.” The 24 year-old is quick to distinguish herself from her former MTV castmates: “I put myself in a different sort of realm as them,” referring to Hills star Heidi Montag, whose line, Heidiwood, closed just months after its debut, and Lauren Conrad, who designs for Kohl’s after her high-priced line was also unsuccessful. The ambitious New York transplant, who says her new hometown is “a lot more sophisticated and a lot more forward-thinking” than L.A., is even toying with venturing into accessories: “I would love to but I don’t know how talented I’d be at it,” she said. “But eventually, I think that would be a cool option.” Tell us: Are you excited to see comes next at Whitney Eve? -Kristin Larson

Courtesy Whitney Port

Her fans might envy Whitney Port for always looking perfectly put-together, but The City star is sharing the beauty wealth by appearing in her blog makeup-free — and revealing her favorite tips for dolling up. “I am not a big fan of heavy makeup,” she says, “so the majority of the time I do my own. I stick to the basics of face powder, bronzer and blush.” Her five-minute plan to getting gorgeous without a personal makeup artist? “I start by mixing Fresh High Noon tinted moisturizer with the Fresh Soy Face Cream to get a nice base with a little sunkissed glow. Then I dust Bare Minerals Powder with SPF 15 to even out my skin. Next I bronze with Guerlain Number One for Blondes on my cheeks, hairline and jawline. Then I brush a little bit of NARS Orgasm Blush on my cheekbones, a little on my forehead, nose, and chin to keep it constant. I use Anastasia brow gel to give my eyebrows a nice shape (this is especially helpful if I haven’t had time to go in to get them done.) I highlight under my eyebrows with Benefit Eye Bright and then curl my lashes with a Sephora eyelash curler. Sometimes if I’m really feeling like going all out for the day I put on Maybelline mascara.” Read more from Whitney on her blog. Tell us: Do you prefer Whitney with or without makeup? What are your beauty must-haves?

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One of the benefits of being a Hollywood starlet is getting your hands on designer duds before they hit store racks. And the much-anticipated Jimmy Choo for H&M line is no exception. Clad in sparkling black and leather looks from the yet-to-be-seen collection, stars like Hayden Panettiere, Kate Walsh, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Whitney Port, Rashida Jones, Olivia Wilde, Diablo Cody and more celebrated the impending launch of the designer collaboration. “I wanted to create looks that women could go out to holiday parties, and events in,” Tamara Mellon, Jimmy Choo founder and president, tells PEOPLE at the party, which featured a performance by rapper M.I.A. “My aesthetic is to always have a rock and roll edge.” Though this line will come with a much lower price tag than the high fashion heels the brand is known for, Diablo Cody tells PEOPLE that the name still makes her think luxe. “I think about stilettos, I think about beautiful fabrics, and I think about money that I shouldn’t have spent,” says the Oscar-winning screenplay writer for Juno. From studded sandals and hot pink clutches to velvet tuxedo jackets and high-waisted leather leggings, it looks like Hollywood’s leading ladies are loving Jimmy Choo for H&M just as much as the luxury shoe line–and so are we! Jimmy Choo for H&M will hit stores on Nov. 14, but in the meantime, you can check out some of the styles on Hayden, Kate, Whitney and more in today’s Hit or Miss.–Reporting by Reagan Alexander