RORSCHACH TEST
“Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire”: Rachel Zoe Is Back
Rachel Zoe wears Dress and Shoes Balenciaga.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills scene-stealer and OG celebrity stylist reflects on a lifetime of boho, bananas, and bad assistants.
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BEVERLY HILLS
“Luxury and my life for the last 15 years. It’s what people dream of.”
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SPRAY TANS
“I’ve been a real vitamin D person my entire life. Every dermatologist I’ve ever seen screams at me for saying that, but I surrendered to the spray tan almost two years ago because I didn’t want to damage my skin anymore. Now someone comes to my house and sprays me. I just close my eyes and hope I don’t look crazy.”
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DATING
“Really fun. But also, I don’t ‘need a man’ for traditional reasons. I’m financially independent. I’m socially independent. I have my kids. So for me, it’s like, ‘Let’s enjoy life.’ I’m definitely spending time with guys who are younger. It’s mostly creative, energetic, deep-souled people who I connect to.”
Sunglasses Rachel’s Own. Top and Pants Burberry.
STATEMENT NECKLACES
“Essential, a necessity, game-changing. Statement everything all at once.”
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ASSISTANTS
“Triggering. I’ve had the best in the world who are like family, but it also goes the other way. There’s betrayal and dishonesty and all the things. It’s the hardest job to fill, always.”
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FILLERS
“As little as possible. Everyone’s removing them now, but there’s new hyaluronic fillers that are more smoothing and less filling. Bad filler is the worst and great filler—you don’t even notice it’s there.”
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BOYS
“The two I’m raising are my actual earth angels. They’re my north stars and what I think of when I make every decision, even how I dress. I think it will be the greatest achievement of my life once I send them off at 18. I’ll come back to you then and let you know how it all went.”
Vest, Shirt, and Skirt Hermès. Earrings and Bag Rachel’s Own. Ring (worn throughout) Ring Concierge.
MEN
“I come from an incredible family of the greatest men I’ve ever known, from my grandfathers down to my kids and my nephew. But I do think all men are boys. I don’t mean it negatively, but they have a little bit of the Peter Pan thing going on.”
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YM
“My very first and only job I ever had with a boss and an office. I started as a part-time fashion assistant making $75 a day, right out of college. I left there as senior fashion editor, making $23,500 a year. I went freelance when I was 25 and I’ve worked for myself ever since.”
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BOHO
“I’m very bohemian in my soul, and I think it comes out in my style. It’s the overall way I move about my life. If anything feels forced or unnatural, I simply can’t do it. I also don’t wear trends, ever. If minimalism is in, I’m still wearing 15 pieces of jewelry every day.”
Dress and Earrings Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.
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RED CARPETS
“They defined my career. When a client looked at me and was like, ‘That was a moment. I’ve never felt more beautiful,’ I’d go home and be like, ‘I’ve been up for the last four days dyeing shoes and I may have 103.5 fever right now, but it was worth it.’”
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EXES
“I had quite a few before I got married, and now I have a big ex-husband. We were married for 26 years and I can’t have any regrets because we had a great love story. It didn’t end the way it should, but I would get married again if I fell in love with someone and it meant a lot to them.”
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DIAMONDS
“I have a deep love for them. Divorce rings or independence rings or any diamond you ever want to buy yourself is deserved.”
Dress Chloé. Necklace David Webb. Shoes Rachel’s Own.
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FEDEX
“I have PTSD from having Oscar gowns stuck in a facility in the middle of the country during a storm. But a good priority overnight moment can literally be the winning ticket sometimes. It’s a real love-hate relationship.”
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RUMORS
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire—most of the time. I’ve also been on the other end of it where the rumors couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s incredibly painful, but with time, wisdom, and experience, you go, ‘Who the fuck cares?’”
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CLEANSES
“I’m pretty sure I’m the only person in this business that doesn’t eat avocados, does not drink green juice, does not do cleanses, and does not work out. I don’t even eat sushi.”
Dress and Ring Gucci.
BRAVO
“The best fans ever.”
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BANANAS
“Will haunt me forever.”
Dress Janet Mandell. Necklace and Bracelet David Webb. Suitcases Rimowa.
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Hair: Niki Rae.
Makeup: Christina Lee Adams using Dior Beauty.
Photography Assistant: David Miller.
Fashion Assistant: Hayley Kuniansky.
Production Director: Alexandra Weiss.
Photography Producer: Georgia Ford.
On-set Production: Eppy at Radish Films.
Production Assistant: Karli Tate Gregory.
Production Interns: Ha Chu and Isaac James.
Social Media Assistant: Ashley Hood.
