Jessica Simpson is the cover girl for the new issue of Women’s Wear Daily, all because her fashion empire is set to reach $1 billion in retail sales this year or next. Jessica has branded her name on everything from sportswear to handbags to shoes to perfumes, etc, and she’s even looking to broaden her empire to menswear, home, fine jewelry and cosmetics. Given that Jessica is probably the next Martha Stewart/Oprah, the question then arises as to why Jessica always seems so… pathetic. How can someone who seems so dumb, so lazy, so farty next-door-neighbor with the bad taste in men, how can this person helm a billion-dollar industry? I have no answer. But I do know that the cover of WWD is cracking me up. It seems less like “A billion dollar industry, woohoo!” and more like “I made it to the POTTY!!! WOO! [Fart].” The full WWD piece is here (it’s really, really long), but here are the highlights:

Jessica on her empire: “The bigger it gets, the more stressful it gets… I didn’t really know I was going to be able to take on the fashion world, but when I was given the opportunity to start a line of shoes, I jumped right on board… Vince Camuto [who purchased her master license in 2005] is definitely a role model to me when it comes to making shoes. He just believed in me from ‘Newlyweds’ [her former MTV reality show that ran from August 2003 through March 2005]. He just thought I could relate to the everyday consumer, and that I had it in me to design and wear the product.”

Jessica is really, really well-known: According to the winter 2011 Performer Q study from Q Scores Co., among females and males 18 to 34 years old, Simpson’s awareness is 91 percent, versus an average of 71 percent among performers. “Pretty much everyone in that age group knows who she is. It’s top tier awareness,” said Henry Schafer, executive vice president of Q Scores Co. Her Q score — the percentage of people familiar with her who rate her as one of their favorites — is 15 percent, which is average for performers.

On perhaps being a judge on X-Factor: “They have definitely talked to me about ‘X Factor,’ ” Simpson confided. “I think it would be a lot of fun. It’s definitely my life. To be a mentor for up-and-coming artists is right up my alley. I would have loved to have a mentor. I love watching people’s dreams come true.” While she may not have had a mentor, Simpson’s parents, Joe, who is still a minister, and Tina, have managed their daughters’ careers every step of the way. (Jessica’s younger sister is singer Ashlee Simspon.)

On her engagement and wedding plans: As far as taking another walk down the aisle goes, Simpson said she’s in no rush to get married again. Sporting a ruby and diamond engagement ring, she said she’s enjoying the engagement period. “No date has been set yet. We’ve both been married before. We’re enjoying our commitment to each other. We want to take our time,” said Simpson. Nor has she determined who will design The Dress. “I will be part of designing my own wedding gown. We might elope if it gets to that point.”

How Jessica juggles: “It all works together,” she said. “I really don’t look at myself as just one thing. I’m kind of scattered and like to have my hands in a lot of different projects. It makes me who I am. It’s what defines me. What I wear, what I sing, the songs I write, the projects I choose all have to represent Jessica Simpson. I wouldn’t take certain jobs if they were to take away from the positive role model that the Jessica Simpson Collection has allowed me to establish…because this is my number-one priority.”

On her newest sportswear line: “[This will] give the consumer something to dress up in, to feel like a lady, to feel sophisticated, yet it has some sort of funk and flair to it,” Jessica said.“It has a lot of style to it. It’s not your average suit or skirt. It has lots of fun details. We wanted to change things up for the everyday working girl who wants to feel her age. It could be for a girl’s first job, or an internship. She could be in her 20s, 30s, even 40s. My mom would wear it, and she’s over 50.”

On career longevity: “Image is the most important thing about someone’s career and longevity. I want to be around until I’m not around anymore and then some,” said Jessica. “We’ve been doing this for five years, but it feels like we’re just starting out because there’s always something new to work on, some new endeavor.”

On approving of everything that she puts her name on: “I was here for three days straight doing approvals for 10 hours a day, and that’s a lot,” said Jessica, noting that she approves the fit, fabrics, buttons, thread colors and zipper pulls. And she has backup from Mom. “I’ll get mad if I see something with my name on it and I don’t like it. I’ll say, ‘Mom, did you approve that? I don’t like that. I never saw that, please tell me if you approved that.’”

Possibly doing a cosmetics line: “I’m all about makeup and skin care products,” said Jessica. “I’m a product junkie. But I also stick to what I love. If I can put that into an affordable price for my consumer, that would be great.”

On a line of prom dresses: The company recently launched prom dresses with David’s Bridal, produced by Simpson’s dress licensee, G-III. “We wanted to make sure that I would wear it on the red carpet,” said Jessica.

Asked whose business she admires, Jessica didn’t hesitate — “Ralph Lauren.”

Running a fashion business has given Jessica a chance to indulge her other passion: shopping. “I love to vintage shop, personally. I buy all kinds of vintage pieces. In Los Angeles, there are certain stores that I love, and they’ll put certain things on hold for us, knowing that I’ll be wanting that Alaïa piece, for example. I also like shopping for vintage in places that nobody would. When I was shooting ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ in Louisiana, I’d find all these incredible pieces that I have archived. The other place is South Florida. Southern women are definitely a huge inspiration to us. We are Southern women. They always love to do it up and look fabulous at all times. It’s fun to grab cool, huge rhinestone pieces or fun brooches that you can make into a necklace.”

On making a more expensive collection: “We thought about it. All this looks expensive, and it doesn’t fall apart. I don’t think we need to go there. Making it affordable for everybody is really where we’re at.”

On her personal style: “I’ve always been into shoes since I was a kid. I’ve always been into high heels. I wish God would have given me three more inches,” said Jessica, who stands 5 feet 3 inches tall. Growing up, she said she never liked to wear the same outfit twice. “I had to be very creative, because I couldn’t go out and buy different outfits. My mom’s been my stylist since I was born. I was a preacher’s daughter, so I did have an image I had to uphold,” she said. Simpson described her personal style as “classic…Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Michael Kors. I like sleek and beautiful. I also like the fun, quirky stuff such as Lanvin and Alexander McQueen. Valentino is a definite inspiration for me,” she said. “I love dresses. I love short skirts and showing off my legs. Sometimes I have to try and hide the boobs. I love wearing a suit jacket with a pair of cutoff jean shorts, and a great fun necklace with a T-shirt. I’m pretty simple. My style never gets too complicated. I don’t always like to dress up. I like to have something dressy and mix it with something casual. If it’s sequins, I still think it can go with shorts. In L.A., you always need somewhat of a jacket. It’s chilly at night.”

In her downtime: “In my downtime, I’m wearing sweats and on my couch catching up on TV shows. My fiancé is really into art, and I am, as well. We’ve been watching a lot of fun documentaries and going to art galleries and hanging out with some cool painters. My house is my little château. I like to stay home with my friends and cook, or we all order in. My house is a revolving door. I always have at least five people over all the time.”

Simpson said she even met Johnson in her own home. “He was out with some of my friends, and I was at home. One of my friends said, ‘You should come back to Jessica’s house.’ He came to the door and said, ‘This is Eric Johnson, and I said, ‘Who?’ And he said he was coming to hang out. And I haven’t let him leave the house. We got engaged at the house. It’s one of those rare stories.”

On Eric: “Eric’s a great guy. He’s taking art classes at UCLA. He’s very artistic. It’s nice to have an artistic athlete. You don’t find that too much,” said Jessica. Together they hike, bike, and live with a five-year-old Airedale terrier, who came with Eric. “We’re very relaxed. It takes a lot to get us stressed out. We talk through everything. You’ll see him off in the corner, and what’s Eric doing? He’s just meditating.”

[From WWD]

God, that girl can talk (and fart). No, I actually really liked Jessica in this interview. She doesn’t sound so vague, so dumb, so off in her own little farty world. She actually seems like a clever businesswoman who has surrounded herself with good people. Speaking of, at one point WWD asks Jessica and her mother if Eric will ever join the fashion empire and Tina and Jessica replied in unison, “NO.” Looks like Jessica’s got herself an old-fashioned K-Fed, doesn’t she? He won’t be doing anything but sitting on the couch, waiting for his lady to come home.

Photos courtesy of WWD.