Paris Hilton says the short haircut she sent trending in the early 2000s was an accident.

The socialite and entrepreneur, 44, appeared to proudly wear short hair in her younger days, but has now said it was the result of being distracted when a hairstylist cut off her long waist-length locks without warning.

Paris told Us Weekly: "I was not paying attention, just like on my phone and then I looked up -- and I had like long hair all the way down to my waist at this point - and I looked up and he had cut my hair all the way to my ears."

She added she immediately called her sister Nicky Hilton, 41, to try and fix it.

Paris said: "I was so in shock and I looked in the mirror and I didn't know what to say.

"(The hairstylist) is like, 'Do you like it?' And I went to the bathroom and called my sister crying."

Although the cut was upsetting at first, Paris embraced the style with the help of extensions, turning it into a bob that became one of her signature looks.

She said: "I got extensions to make it like a cute bob, and I liked it, but that was… yeah, that was not done purposely.

"Then it became a trend, and everyone started cutting their hair. So, I was like, 'OK'."

Paris is now fronting a new campaign as global ambassador for the haircare brand Paul Mitchell. Photographs from the campaign show her wearing a variety of looks, including a blunt bob with dark roots, a high ponytail with a sideswept fringe, and long golden waves.

One of the shoots placed Paris in a launderette wearing a silk white slip and pink robe, while another saw her dressed in a blue tennis outfit against the backdrop of a court.

The campaign has been described as a "love letter to professional hairstylists".

Michaeline DeJoria, chief executive of Paul Mitchell, said: "Paris Hilton has been setting trends and breaking boundaries for decades.

"Her passion for beauty, authenticity, and giving back aligns perfectly with our values. We're excited to partner with an icon who not only defines style but also champions purpose."

Paris has two children with her husband Carter Reum, 44.

Their son Phoenix, born January 2023, is two, and their 21-month-old daughter London arrived in November the same year.

Both were born through surrogacy.