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Rita Ora, the face of Donna Karan’s newest scent, DKNY MYNY

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Ever since she landed in New York City in 2007 at age 17, signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation label in 2008, British pop singer Rita Ora’s eclectic, look-at-me style has made her an instant “It” girl. With her signature peroxide blond hair, cherry-red lips and pinup sex appeal, Ora serves up a haute-meets-hip-hop look. She rocked dresses with sneakers long before it became atrend, yet she can transform into a siren by night, as she did in a red silk, slit-up-to-there Donna Karan gown at the MTV Video Music Awards last month.

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FOR THE RECORD:

Rita Ora: In the Sept. 14 Image section, an article about British pop singer Rita Ora said that she arrived in New York in 2012 and signed with the Roc Nation label. She arrived in New York in 2007 and signed with Roc Nation in 2008. —
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Just this year, Ora has launched nail polish and lip color with Rimmel, debuted a multi-season collaborative line with Adidas, posed in ads for DKNY and Roberto Cavalli, walked the fall-winter runways for Jeremy Scott’s debut collection for Moschino and DKNY, and landed the role of Mia Grey in the upcoming film “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Now she is also the face of Donna Karan’s new fragrance, DKNY MYNY. In a phone interview, Ora talked scents and her style sensibility.

I see you’ve referred to MYNY as “energy in a bottle”?

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I like to think of it as a pulse in a bottle, as a heart. That’s why we created the heart-shaped bottle.

So it’s kind of the opposite of L.A.? What would MYLA be like?

[Lots of] air. And shampoo … but no hair spray.

Let’s talk scents in general. Any all-time favorites? Thinking of MYUK now.

Vanilla and patchouli have always been favorite scents of mine; [they] make me feel playful and sexy. Also DKNY Women; I wore that when I was 13, and it made me think of strong, powerful women in New York.

You’re a master of the high-low, street-chic mix. Any styling tips?

DKNY sneakers are always comfy. I like pairing them with a glam skirt and a hoodie. Sneakers add an edginess to an outfit so it’s not too formal. … I’m wearing silver sneakers today with a [pleated] silver metallic DKNY dress [from the resort 2015 collection]. It’s like a big reflector, like the thing you put in your car windows to block the sun.

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And are you rocking it out with accessories?

Yes, lots of rings and a bunch of bracelets, and my hair’s in a blond bob. It’s like Marilyn Monroe in space.

I love your statement hair looks, like your recent pearl-embellished ‘do at the V Festival that matched the denim pieces by British designer Katie Eary. It reminded me a bit of the Gaultier fall-winter couture look.

Thanks! My hair stylist [Chris Appleton] is sitting right here, and that makes him happy. That was our inspiration. Hair is meant to flow with the outfit, so we like to be creative and playful.

image@latimes.com

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