Kylie Jenner may have had her first taste of fame by association, but she managed to step out from under her notorious sisters' shadows by realizing her potential as a fashion model and reality starlet.
Kylie Kristen Jenner was born on Aug. 10, 1997 in Los Angeles to Olympic champion Bruce Jenner and Kris Jenner, former wife of the late Robert Kardashian, a lawyer who played a key role in the O.J. Simpson legal saga. Like her older sister, Kendall Jenner, she also grew up in the spotlight as a member of the popular reality show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (E!, 2007- ). The hit series focused on Jenner's half-sisters Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé as they launched clothing lines, went on shopping sprees, or gabbed about their latest relationship drama. It also starred Jenner's half-brother, Robert Kardashian, Jr.
Jenner also appeared on the show's equally popular spin-offs, including "Kourtney & Khloé Take Miami" (E!, 2009-13) and "Khloé & Lamar" (E!, 2011). Jenner, who was the youngest of the brood, kept a largely low-profile at the outset, often strictly Kendall's sidekick who helped her older sister pull harmless stunts on their over-protective dad.
As the Kardashian sisters began starring in their own spin-off series, the show began focusing on a growing tension between the Jenner sisters, particularly as Kendall received more attention from their parents as she started landing modeling gigs. But Jenner also commanded screen time as she prepared to launch her own modeling career. She finally had her turn in the spotlight modeling for the Sears teen line "Crush Your Style," as well as strutting on the runway for Avril Lavigne's Abbey Dawn collection during New York's Fashion Week in 2011.
Later that year, she reportedly started dating Australian pop star, Cody Simpson, whom she met at a Hollywood movie premiere. In 2012, Jenner, along with Kendall, were seen at several red carpet events and appeared in an episode of the reality competition show "America's Next Top Model" (The CW, 2003- ), where they were photographed, along with their mother, as creepy twins from the cult classic "The Shining" (1980). As "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" progressed, it continued to focus on the growing media fascination with the Jenner sisters, sparking rumors that they might be starring in their own spin-off reality show as well.
By Candy Cuenco