Rachel Zoe’s Study in Self-Promotion

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Rachel Zoe is famous — in certain circles — for many things, but transparency is not one of them. A celebrity fashion stylist, Ms. Zoe is known for her client list, which has included just about every pretty young thing in Hollywood — Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton, Keira Knightley, Joy Bryant, and, most auspiciously, Nicole Richie. Ms. Zoe is known for her fees, which can reportedly top $6,000 a day. And she is known for earning those fees by placing said starlets in a signature mix of Grecian dresses, sunglasses that might well be used after one’s pupils have been dilated, and heavy gold necklaces best complemented by a bony clavicle. (Ms. Zoe has been blamed by the celebrity press for the dramatic weight loss of some of her clients, particularly Ms. Lohan and Ms. Richie.)

So what is the secret to Ms. Zoe’s success? There may be one, but viewers should not look to Bravo’s “The Rachel Zoe Project,” the stick-figure stylist’s new reality show, for answers. The show, which makes its premiere tonight, chronicles the shopping excursions and sartorial dilemmas of Ms. Zoe’s career, and never seems sure whether to idolize or satirize the outlandish stylist. While the show may be a prescription for fashion junkies, giving them a practically pornographic spread of luxury labels, it fails to provide much insight into how exactly Ms. Zoe creates the red-carpet “wow” moment, as she calls it.

Enter your email to read this article.

Get 2 free articles when you subscribe.

or
Have an account? This is also a sign-in form.
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Advertisement
The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use