The Rachel Zoe Project: preview recap




I’ve been waiting for this show forever. I think my love for Rachel Zoe has seriously waned in the past two years or so, but at one point I was incredibly obsessed with the overly-tan, overly Botoxe-ed leading lady of fashion.

Whether you like her or not, Rachel Zoe has put celebrity styling on the map, and has become a celebrity in her own right, while tending to some of the most famous actresses in the world. We jump into this world with major name dropping including Molly Sims, designer Peter Som, and the super lovely Joy Bryant. Rodger is Rachel’s husband and her soul mate, according to her, while Taylor is her right-hand woman and assistant. Apparently her job is digging through and bringing out the good stuff so Zoe doesn’t have to sort through it. And lastly there’s Brad, a new guy that Rachel has hired to assist Taylor now that things have gotten ultra busy.

Of course Taylor and Brad are butting heads. Come on folks, this is a reality show. You had to know we were going to have a rivalry of some sort. Rachel describes them as “oil and water,” and right off the bat, we can see what she means. It’s Fashion Week and Brad and Taylor have to stay together because there aren’t enough rooms at the hotel. Taylor is annoyed with Brad, who wants room service, chatting, and spooning! ROFL!

It’s FW 08 Fashion Week, and Rachel is looking for dresses for the (then upcoming) Oscars, and separates for press junkets. After the DVF show, Rachel and Brad go over the lookbook in the car, while Rachel says they’re making a surprise stop. The locale of the impromptu shopping spree? New York Vintage, the Chelsea Mecca for vintage gowns, jewelry, you name it.

Rachel arrives back in LA with gobs of dresses that seem to be taking over a room in her home. Her husband Rodger is a little less than pleased with this, and asks her, “Is this all for clients?” “…Yes!” Rachel yelps. Classic. It must be pretty nice to try to pass off you own new purchases as your clients’!

It’s awards season and Rachel tells us this is the most grueling time of the year. First the dress is chosen, then the hair and makeup to stay in line with the dress and ultimately create a look. Rachel is having issues with her personal life and tends to put Rodger on the backburner when it comes to work.

On top of this Brad and Taylor are going at it. Or Taylor is going at it by herself, constantly complaining about Brad, while he is off in la-la land having fun and chatting it up with Rachel. The next travesty? Rachel’s studio is flooded with water. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are sitting in the water! Instead of moving the dresses, Brad turns on the waterworks and Rachel is so incredibly sweet and supportive. And poor Taylor is stuck moving the dresses! I know Brad needs some emotional support right now, but can we first move the De la Renta gowns out of the damp puddles?

In the preview for the season we see Taylor threatening to quit, the Marc Jacobs show drama from February’s show, and Rachel and her husband sharing some less than memorable times. But as Rachel points out, “it’s a pretty glamorous life.” Sounds fab…now let’s move those dresses out of the water. Jeez!