For most of us, we can only dream of what it would be like to win the Powerball lottery or to be whisked away on a private jet to a private island, but that’s truly the fabulous life of billionairess Dorothy Wang, one of the stars on the E! reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. Growing up as the daughter of Roger Wang, CEO of Golden Eagle International Group, which, among other things, owns a Chinese mall chain, Wang rarely heard the word “no.” “I’ve never been put on a budget because I’ve never needed to [be],” says Wang, who nonetheless says she does get a nudge from her parents about her spending every now and then. “There’s a constant ‘well, just try harder next month.'”
Self-described as ‘funemployed,’ Wang lives a socialite’s dream, most recently partying at Coachella with the likes of Paris Hilton. Though she doesn’t need to work, when she’s not shooting for the show, she keeps to a structured morning routine to keep her productive. She spends a good hour and a half each morning answering emails and organizing her day from her office – in bed. “I prefer to not start my day until at least 1 p.m., so I can have my ‘me’ time,” says Wang. Currently, she’s working on her website and a few product lines. “I want to do things that are nice and high-end, but at the same time, I want every high-end collection to have a line that is more affordable,” she says. “I love bathrobes, and so I want to do a type of robe line, at different price points.”
With not much of an appetite in the morning, her breakfast usually consists of hot water with lemon and apple cider vinegar because “it’s good for your skin and it’s supposed to make your metabolism move faster.” Add in five almonds, a teaspoon of chia seeds and a handful of blueberries and there you have the Dorothy Wang breakfast. Oh, and if she’s super hungry? Wang says, “I’ll push it to six almonds.”
As expected, her closet is a mass of shoes – every girl’s fantasy and her housekeeper’s worst nightmare. “Every time I want to get ready, I have to look through all of these shoeboxes, and there are lids and shoes everywhere in my room. Sometimes I can hear [my housekeeper] when she comes into my room after I get ready and she gasps,” says Wang. With at least 50 pairs of heels just to start, she says that her go-to daytime look is comfortable and casual with Chanel flats or motorcycle boots. When she’s ready to glam it up for a night on the town, her faves are Christian Louboutin and Gianvito Rossi. When asked how many HermeÌ€s Birkin bags she owns, she responds, “That’s something I can’t reveal, but it’s getting up there.”
With more than 352,000 followers and mostly selfies posted on her Instagram account (she considers herself a master of the art form), it’s no surprise that Wang got the attention of casting director Doron Ofir (Jersey Shore), who approached her about being on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. Wang brought in an instant cast with her best friend, Morgan, and her boyfriend, real estate whiz Brendan; songwriter Jonny and interior designer Roxanne. “We’ve literally known each other for at least six or seven years,” says Wang, describing the show “as more Clueless and less Mean Girls.”
Take an episode in the first season, when Wang and Jonny get into a tiff when he finds out he can’t participate in a blood drive Wang is hosting because he’s gay. In a heated discussion, Jonny tells her she wouldn’t understand as she’s not a “minority.” Wang, incredulous, gestures to her face. “I’m Chinese!” she responds. When asked how she feels about being in the public eye as an Asian American, she says she feels honored, but admits it’s not always as easy as it looks. “I’m the first to admit that maybe I’m not the best example of every Asian American person out there,” says Wang. “Maybe I’m not the way that everyone wants to be represented, but at least I am an Asian face that will hopefully open up the scope [of what] people see.”
Season 2 of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills premiered on E! just earlier this month.
— STORY BY LORNA SOONHEE UMPHREY
This story was originally published in our Summer 2014 issue. Get your copy here.
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