Ubiquitous
2011-09-13 09:49:04 UTC
By Booth Moore
Los Angeles Times Fashion Critic
July 17, 2011
Some babies have all the luck. The recent birth of Skyler Morrison
Berman, for example, inspired a series of baby gifts that could have been
lifted from the pages of Vogue: a custom-made sweater the size of a tea
cozy from Angela Missoni, a child-size china setting from Marc Jacobs and
a shearling snuggly from Georgina Chapman.
Of course, when Mom is Rachel Zoe celebrity stylist-turned-reality TV
star-turned-designer and the gift-givers are members of fashion's
reigning class, glamour is expected.
On a recent sunny afternoon, lounging by the pool of his Los Angeles home
with his nanny by his side, Skyler is wearing a blue striped Petit Bateau
"1940s-style swimsuit," as Zoe describes it, and brown Bonpoint
fisherman's sandals. It's a milestone, the first day the 3-month-old
wears shoes, though he already has more than a dozen pairs in his
nursery, including Gucci loafers.
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Yet the new mother makes it sound as if life in Zoe land isn't quite as
glamorous as it used to be. "My whole day is about whether my son poops
or not," she says.
"The next thing you know, we'll be moving to Brentwood and I'll be
driving a minivan."
Doubtful.
Zoe is wearing a pair of flared tuxedo pants so long they nearly sweep
the floor, and a sparkly cropped navy blue jacket. Both items are from
her new line, the Rachel Zoe fashion collection landing in stores this
month, and they allow her to exude a sort of career-woman vibe, to play
the role of "execubitch." (And don't worry that particular term is a
Zoe-ism.)
Zoe's career trajectory has been impressive, going from no-name stylist
to red carpet tastemaker, earning $6,000 a day, with clients including
Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes and Demi Moore. The next step was full-fledged
celebritydom, with a Bravo reality show, QVC line and, now, a fashion
collection. And she's done it all in a decade.
The fall collection, with prices that range from $250 to $700, oozes '70s
style, which should come as no surprise to fans of Zoe's trademark flowy
peasant dress/oversized sunglasses look. But don't expect "bohemian
glamour," Zoe says. "I wanted androgyny and the powerful woman look. I've
grown up a lot. I wanted an amazing white tuxedo for under $1,000 and a
cocktail dress for under $500."
Most of the pieces are quite tailored and have a vintage Yves Saint
Laurent vibe. "It's very Jane Birkin-y and Anjelica Huston-y and Bianca
Jagger-y, with a splash of sequins, a little Liza Minnelli, thrown in,"
Zoe says.
There are trouser suits with flared legs, plunge-front blouses that tie
at the neck, leather-trimmed capes with toggle closures, faux fur
jackets, disco-short dresses with tiers of chiffon or splashes of
sequins, and diaphanous chiffon maxi-dresses. Accessories include
51/2-inch platform pumps (not for the faint of heart) and chain-handle
clutch bags.
The collection backed by LF USA (a division of Li & Fung, a Hong
Kong-based global sourcing giant and producer of clothing, toys and
furniture) is selling in "contemporary departments" alongside clothes
by designers such as Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander Wang. (It's been
reported that Zoe could earn as much as $20 million from the line.)
Neiman Marcus bought the collection for all 41 of its stores, and teased
the launch with an "Oh So Zoe" Facebook challenge that let users style
virtual looks and share them with friends. Bloomingdales is planning to
devote the windows of its store at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in
Manhattan to the collection.
"In entertainment, they talk about people who can act, sing and dance as
being triple threats. Rachel Zoe is a triple threat in fashion. She has a
great eye, a larger-than-life personality and a whole entertainment world
built around her," said Catherine Moellering, executive vice president of
New York-based trend forecasting firm Tobe Report.
Zoe's entree into fashion follows the direction in which the industry has
been heading for some time, putting a premium on charisma over craft. "In
terms of a business model, Jessica Simpson or Rachel Zoe would be the
model for fashion today," Moellering said. "Instead of being known for an
iconic top or dress, they are iconic personalities themselves, which
allows them to be more flexible in how they branch out into other
categories."
Although Zoe's design studio is in New York, Rachel Zoe Inc. is
headquartered in Los Angeles. (She plans to fly back and forth.) Her
husband, Rodger Berman, is president of the company, which has different
spaces for styling services, product development, digital media
(including production of her daily style blog at RachelZoe.com) and the
stylist's fashion archives. There are about 15 employees at the company,
including design director Eric Sartori.
Those archives must hold a lot of her clothes because the walk-in closet
at her house isn't nearly as stuffed as one might expect. There are
Chanel purses and Birkin bags tucked into tidy cubbies. And hanging on a
peg is her newest purchase, a vintage Celine, bamboo-handled bucket bag
so large it's easy to wonder if Zoe could fit inside. A rolling rack in
the center of the closet is filled with pieces from her fall collection,
which she has been wearing out and about recently, in full view of the
paparazzi tracking her every move from nail salon to posh baby boutique.
Zoe knows how to play the game.
"How about Jennifer Lopez wearing my white tuxedo dress?" she says,
plucking the double-breasted "Cameron" style from the rack. "When I saw
that picture, I froze. For the first time in my life, I got a taste of
what it feels like to a designer when someone wears their clothes."
Lopez's stylist, whom Zoe says she does not know, pulled the dress from
the showroom, and Lopez was photographed wearing it June 15 in Paris. "I
can't believe how kind and gracious stylists in L.A. have been, pulling
my designs," Zoe says, referring to her competition pulling clothing for
their celebrity clients to borrow for appearances and red carpet events.
"I figured since I was a stylist, and they're stylists, they wouldn't
want it."
Zoe is ready to get back on the red carpet herself after a pregnancy
hiatus. Although she managed to style longtime client Oscar host Anne
Hathaway in eight different looks for the Academy Awards show in
February, she missed the runway shows in New York and Europe that month
because she couldn't travel so close to giving birth. She also took a
break from QVC, but will return in September with new additions to her
Luxe Rachel Zoe line of outerwear and accessories, which tops out at
$180.
And on Sept. 6, "The Rachel Zoe Project" returns to Bravo for a fourth
season.
The show began as "fashion porn," she says, in reference to plotlines
that have taken viewers behind the scenes at fashion shows with Karl
Lagerfeld, and styling sessions with flamboyant figure skater Johnny
Weir. But this season will be a little different. "It will be more about
seeing me as a career woman."
Don't expect any more drama with her assistants, as in past seasons. (Two
of her former assistants, Brad Goreski and Taylor Jacobson left the
reality show in snarky plot twists that some observers say were
engineered to boost ratings. ) "I've learned lessons," Zoe says. "But you
move on, and you realize everyone is replaceable on some level. Except my
husband. And my son, of course."
Skyler will have screen time during Season 4 and will be sitting on Mom's
lap front row at the next round of runway shows in September. (Zoe plans
to show her spring 2012 collection during New York Fashion Week.)
Later on this day, the Bravo TV crew is coming to the house to shoot a
barbecue, featuring Rodger's turkey burgers and Rachel's brownies. "I do
have a private life," Zoe says. "I'm an executive producer, and when I
say we're not shooting today, we're not shooting today. But as long as
people enjoy [the show] and get the feeling that they are getting enough,
great. When I feel that's not possible anymore, then we move onto the
next thing."
The next thing could be a home accessories line. Another TV show is also
a possibility.
Zoe talks a lot about Oprah and Martha Stewart, and clearly sees them as
lifestyle-branding models. "I would love to do a talk show," she says. "I
don't have any formal fashion training, and the reason I got into this
business is because I love people. So for me, sitting down and digging
into peoples' minds digging into designers' minds would be really
fun."
Los Angeles Times Fashion Critic
July 17, 2011
Some babies have all the luck. The recent birth of Skyler Morrison
Berman, for example, inspired a series of baby gifts that could have been
lifted from the pages of Vogue: a custom-made sweater the size of a tea
cozy from Angela Missoni, a child-size china setting from Marc Jacobs and
a shearling snuggly from Georgina Chapman.
Of course, when Mom is Rachel Zoe celebrity stylist-turned-reality TV
star-turned-designer and the gift-givers are members of fashion's
reigning class, glamour is expected.
On a recent sunny afternoon, lounging by the pool of his Los Angeles home
with his nanny by his side, Skyler is wearing a blue striped Petit Bateau
"1940s-style swimsuit," as Zoe describes it, and brown Bonpoint
fisherman's sandals. It's a milestone, the first day the 3-month-old
wears shoes, though he already has more than a dozen pairs in his
nursery, including Gucci loafers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
Get the monthly that has L.A. talking. Subscribe to Los Angeles Times
Magazine at a special introductory rate.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
Yet the new mother makes it sound as if life in Zoe land isn't quite as
glamorous as it used to be. "My whole day is about whether my son poops
or not," she says.
"The next thing you know, we'll be moving to Brentwood and I'll be
driving a minivan."
Doubtful.
Zoe is wearing a pair of flared tuxedo pants so long they nearly sweep
the floor, and a sparkly cropped navy blue jacket. Both items are from
her new line, the Rachel Zoe fashion collection landing in stores this
month, and they allow her to exude a sort of career-woman vibe, to play
the role of "execubitch." (And don't worry that particular term is a
Zoe-ism.)
Zoe's career trajectory has been impressive, going from no-name stylist
to red carpet tastemaker, earning $6,000 a day, with clients including
Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes and Demi Moore. The next step was full-fledged
celebritydom, with a Bravo reality show, QVC line and, now, a fashion
collection. And she's done it all in a decade.
The fall collection, with prices that range from $250 to $700, oozes '70s
style, which should come as no surprise to fans of Zoe's trademark flowy
peasant dress/oversized sunglasses look. But don't expect "bohemian
glamour," Zoe says. "I wanted androgyny and the powerful woman look. I've
grown up a lot. I wanted an amazing white tuxedo for under $1,000 and a
cocktail dress for under $500."
Most of the pieces are quite tailored and have a vintage Yves Saint
Laurent vibe. "It's very Jane Birkin-y and Anjelica Huston-y and Bianca
Jagger-y, with a splash of sequins, a little Liza Minnelli, thrown in,"
Zoe says.
There are trouser suits with flared legs, plunge-front blouses that tie
at the neck, leather-trimmed capes with toggle closures, faux fur
jackets, disco-short dresses with tiers of chiffon or splashes of
sequins, and diaphanous chiffon maxi-dresses. Accessories include
51/2-inch platform pumps (not for the faint of heart) and chain-handle
clutch bags.
The collection backed by LF USA (a division of Li & Fung, a Hong
Kong-based global sourcing giant and producer of clothing, toys and
furniture) is selling in "contemporary departments" alongside clothes
by designers such as Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander Wang. (It's been
reported that Zoe could earn as much as $20 million from the line.)
Neiman Marcus bought the collection for all 41 of its stores, and teased
the launch with an "Oh So Zoe" Facebook challenge that let users style
virtual looks and share them with friends. Bloomingdales is planning to
devote the windows of its store at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in
Manhattan to the collection.
"In entertainment, they talk about people who can act, sing and dance as
being triple threats. Rachel Zoe is a triple threat in fashion. She has a
great eye, a larger-than-life personality and a whole entertainment world
built around her," said Catherine Moellering, executive vice president of
New York-based trend forecasting firm Tobe Report.
Zoe's entree into fashion follows the direction in which the industry has
been heading for some time, putting a premium on charisma over craft. "In
terms of a business model, Jessica Simpson or Rachel Zoe would be the
model for fashion today," Moellering said. "Instead of being known for an
iconic top or dress, they are iconic personalities themselves, which
allows them to be more flexible in how they branch out into other
categories."
Although Zoe's design studio is in New York, Rachel Zoe Inc. is
headquartered in Los Angeles. (She plans to fly back and forth.) Her
husband, Rodger Berman, is president of the company, which has different
spaces for styling services, product development, digital media
(including production of her daily style blog at RachelZoe.com) and the
stylist's fashion archives. There are about 15 employees at the company,
including design director Eric Sartori.
Those archives must hold a lot of her clothes because the walk-in closet
at her house isn't nearly as stuffed as one might expect. There are
Chanel purses and Birkin bags tucked into tidy cubbies. And hanging on a
peg is her newest purchase, a vintage Celine, bamboo-handled bucket bag
so large it's easy to wonder if Zoe could fit inside. A rolling rack in
the center of the closet is filled with pieces from her fall collection,
which she has been wearing out and about recently, in full view of the
paparazzi tracking her every move from nail salon to posh baby boutique.
Zoe knows how to play the game.
"How about Jennifer Lopez wearing my white tuxedo dress?" she says,
plucking the double-breasted "Cameron" style from the rack. "When I saw
that picture, I froze. For the first time in my life, I got a taste of
what it feels like to a designer when someone wears their clothes."
Lopez's stylist, whom Zoe says she does not know, pulled the dress from
the showroom, and Lopez was photographed wearing it June 15 in Paris. "I
can't believe how kind and gracious stylists in L.A. have been, pulling
my designs," Zoe says, referring to her competition pulling clothing for
their celebrity clients to borrow for appearances and red carpet events.
"I figured since I was a stylist, and they're stylists, they wouldn't
want it."
Zoe is ready to get back on the red carpet herself after a pregnancy
hiatus. Although she managed to style longtime client Oscar host Anne
Hathaway in eight different looks for the Academy Awards show in
February, she missed the runway shows in New York and Europe that month
because she couldn't travel so close to giving birth. She also took a
break from QVC, but will return in September with new additions to her
Luxe Rachel Zoe line of outerwear and accessories, which tops out at
$180.
And on Sept. 6, "The Rachel Zoe Project" returns to Bravo for a fourth
season.
The show began as "fashion porn," she says, in reference to plotlines
that have taken viewers behind the scenes at fashion shows with Karl
Lagerfeld, and styling sessions with flamboyant figure skater Johnny
Weir. But this season will be a little different. "It will be more about
seeing me as a career woman."
Don't expect any more drama with her assistants, as in past seasons. (Two
of her former assistants, Brad Goreski and Taylor Jacobson left the
reality show in snarky plot twists that some observers say were
engineered to boost ratings. ) "I've learned lessons," Zoe says. "But you
move on, and you realize everyone is replaceable on some level. Except my
husband. And my son, of course."
Skyler will have screen time during Season 4 and will be sitting on Mom's
lap front row at the next round of runway shows in September. (Zoe plans
to show her spring 2012 collection during New York Fashion Week.)
Later on this day, the Bravo TV crew is coming to the house to shoot a
barbecue, featuring Rodger's turkey burgers and Rachel's brownies. "I do
have a private life," Zoe says. "I'm an executive producer, and when I
say we're not shooting today, we're not shooting today. But as long as
people enjoy [the show] and get the feeling that they are getting enough,
great. When I feel that's not possible anymore, then we move onto the
next thing."
The next thing could be a home accessories line. Another TV show is also
a possibility.
Zoe talks a lot about Oprah and Martha Stewart, and clearly sees them as
lifestyle-branding models. "I would love to do a talk show," she says. "I
don't have any formal fashion training, and the reason I got into this
business is because I love people. So for me, sitting down and digging
into peoples' minds digging into designers' minds would be really
fun."
--
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."
"If Barack Obama isn't careful, he will become the Jimmy Carter of the
21st century."