Mary-Kate Olsen was interviewed by Christopher Bollen for Interview magazine on Inauguration day. They talked a bit about politics – it was hard not to that day – but most of their interview focused on Olsen’s fashion empire. She and sister Ashley have built up quite a business, and are becoming more and more respected in the fashion world. And all this came from a girl who admitted she never paid attention to clothes growing up, and her first favorite item was a pair of spandex shorts. With fringe.

CB: …you’re one of the very few actresses of your generation to cultivate your own style, totally original and authentic. When did that start for you?

MKO: For me, it really started by looking at people. There are just some really beautiful people in the world. When you’re walking down the street, or you’re at a restaurant, someone catches your eye because they have their own look. It goes way beyond what they’re wearing-into their mannerisms, the way they smile, or just the way they hold themselves.

CB: So you’re more inspired by the street than you are by Hollywood.

MKO: Some people are natural beauties, some have great style, but sometimes it comes from talent. Take Kate Winslet: I was listening to her speech at the Golden Globes. That woman has so much intensity. She’s amazing to watch and to listen to. With some people, it can even be their voice that makes them attractive.

CB: Did you buy your own clothes as a kid?

MKO: I never went shopping. That wasn’t my thing. I grew up horseback riding. That was my passion. I didn’t start shopping until about 16 or 17, whenI could drive myself to stores and explore on my own.

CB: When you’re that age, clothes become a way for you to figure out what kind of adult you’re going to be. It’s a testing ground for your personality, a way to show up as an individual. Your body is the first thing you stake claim to. Do you think that because you are a twin, interest in dressing your own way was even more amplified?

MKO: Well, until we were 13 or 14, if my sister and I did an appearance, we would be wearing the same outfit. [laughs] It would be the same dress and we’d fight over who would wear it in red and who would wear it in black. That was obviously for work. But ever since I can remember, we dressed completely differently. Ashley would wear really baggy clothes and shoes that were too big for her, and I think my first favorite clothing item was a pair of spandex shorts with fringe on them! Leopard and white spandex.

[From Interview]

There were a lot of the traditional Olsen interview questions too, and I feel like a lot of that has been beaten to death. Yes, we know Mary-Kate and Ashley are different people. Yes we know they have very different interests. Mary-Kate did talk about the media a bit, and while she expressed some mild frustration she was polite about it and didn’t completely go off.

CB: I was worried that New York was becoming like L.A.-no more just letting everyone alone.

MKO: Everyone has the right to that freedom, right? Everyone has that right. It’s freezing in New York right now. In L.A., it’s sunny. But I would choose freezing over being followed.

CB: It’s kind of impossible not to ask you how you feel about the world prying into your personal life. How do you deal with it? Do you just say, “Okay, I’m not going to take any of this personally. F&@% them.”

MKO: I definitely don’t take any of it personally. You learn how to have a sense of humor pretty quickly. I honestly don’t keep up on it unless it’s something that would hurt someone else. I can take care of myself, that’s not the problem. But it’s just not fair to bring anyone else into the picture.

CB: I was going to try to go the whole interview without asking you about the media. But of course I Googled you to check what the gossip had going. I saw a recent one that actually speculated when you and Nate [Lowman, the artist and Olsen’s current boyfriend] were going to get married. It said, “Can we expect the marriage vows soon?” I thought, Jesus Christ, that’s dating pressure.

MKO: [laughs] And you know Nate . . . It’s one thing after the next, the most far-fetched thing that could possibly be said has already been said. There’s nothing I can do about it really. They have the freedom to write whatever they want.

CB: Yeah, it’s the first amendment.

MKO: I don’t know. I wish it weren’t so abused.

[From Interview]

As a writer – writing about other people – I don’t think the first amendment is generally all that abused. But I’m never the subject of the writing. I can imagine how the person being written about – especially when it can be somewhat unflattering – would feel differently. The Olsens do seem to have more privacy in Manhattan, and aren’t followed as much as they are in L.A. Mary-Kate says she appreciates that, and it must be nice to live a more normal existence.

It’s good she’s learned not to take gossip personally. We are going to write about them – if no one cared to, then the Olsen twins should be worried. That said, you never want to actually hurt someone’s feelings. Although I definitely hear reports of diva behavior on occasion, I’m normally fairly impressed by both Mary-Kate and Ashlee when they’re interviewed. They certainly know how to present themselves well when they’re in professional situations.

Here’s Mary-Kate Olsen meeting sister Ashley for lunch at the SoHo House in NYC on January 30th. Images thanks to Splash.