(L) Paris Hilton and (R) Kira Plastinina, courtesy of Lublu K. Plastinina

When I was 14, I flirted with cute boys on the bus, experimented with too-dark lipstick, and spent a significant amount of time worshipping boy bands like 98 Degrees.

Kira Plastinina didn’t have time for silly diversions. When she was 14, she was already the head of a multi-million-dollar Russian tween fashion empire. By 15, she had opened more than 50 pink-hued Kira Plastinina clothing stores in Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the United States. At 16, she debuted her high-end line, Lublu K. Plastinina, and this year, the 17-year-old presented her second Lublu collection on the second-to-last day of Fashion Week here in Milan.

Her story seems like a fairy tale, the stuff of adolescent female dreams, but the truth is that a significant portion of Kira’s success derives from the nearly unlimited resources of her millionaire father. Sergei Plastinina, a dairy and fruit-juice mogul in Russia, is the brains behind the brand, but Kira insists that everything on the runway and in her stores comes as a direct result of her notebook doodles.

“Dreams about Africa,” designed by Kira Plastinina

“Dreams about Africa,” designed by Kira Plastinina

I was skeptical, but also intrigued. The show’s theme — “Dreams about Africa” — was a definite departure from Kira’s trademark bubblegum-pop rep. Inspired by “the beauty and harmony of [the] national dress and nature of this exotic continent,” the collection featured simple prints and great draping, particularly on a gorgeous lavender silk gown. There were also elements from the school of rock, like torn embellished jeans and funky metallic accessories. Still, the collection lacked the energy and playfulness I expected from a teenage girl known as the “world’s youngest fashion designer.” Maybe it’s the 14-year-old boy-band worshipper in me, but I could have used a little more pink.

“Dreams about Africa,” designed by Kira Plastinina

“Dreams about Africa,” designed by Kira Plastinina