Most stylists are under-the-radar creatures who, if they work hard enough, might enjoy a certain amount of fame in the fashion blogosphere. If they’re really popular, they might even get the occasional interview in a glossy magazine.
Rachel Zoe, on the other hand, has a celebrity status that has grown to Hollywood-size proportions complete with a team of handlers that rivals that of her A-list clients.
If you’ve watched her reality show, The Rachel Zoe Project, regularly, there’s not much about the stylist’s quest to turn herself into a lifestyle brand that you don’t already know.
When did you attend your first fashion show?
I remember crashing a Marc Jacobs show. I was an assistant and I was determined to go. I was waiting in the standing line, which was a mile long. I remember Patrick McMullan (the famous New York social circuit photographer) actually found me outside and goes, “Who are you?” And I was like,” Who are YOU?” He took my picture. He was like, “I think I’m going to be taking pictures of you for a long time.” He got me into the show and I ended up getting a seat. It was the greatest show ever.
Now that you’re doing so much more than styling, how do you determine which fashion weeks to go to?
I don’t generally like to miss Paris. But this past season, there was no physical way for me to do Paris and Oscar week. So I went to Milan instead. Of course I could always go on Style.com and see the show, but a lot of the designers are my friends. So I really try to go to support them as well. I never miss Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Chanel, and Calvin Klein for instance.
So do you actually consider your show a way for viewers to see how fashion works?
The goal for the show is to educate the audience. In the case of the fashion weeks, it’s for them to see how each city is glamorous in its own way.
Could you ever see yourself leaving styling and not attending fashion weeks altogether?
I’m not going to lie, it’s hard doing it all. But at the same time, it’s also an adrenaline rush. I’m tired because I’m constantly thinking about 20 things. A big premiere, awards season, a collection for QVC, filming my show, going to the fashion shows. And I also have my Web site. But at the end of the day, it’s my name on the door. I have to be extremely hands on. About a year ago, I thought I would segue out of styling. But what I’ve realized … is that I can never really walk away from it.
In this age of street style blogs, do you think that celebs influence the way people dress as much as say, five years ago?
I think fashion and celebrities are constantly feeding off of one another. Celebrities influence fashion and vice versa.
