Subject of this post is style
Rachel Zoe: The Stylist As Celebrity Designer
Rachel Zoe.Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Chanel
In a dressing room at the Saks Club on the third floor of the Fifth Avenue flagship, Rachel Zoe is advising a petite, strawberry-blonde 17-year-old shopping with her mother on how to wear a white sequin blazer. “I like to wear it a little bigger, so you can wear a zero or a two or a four,” she tells her. “If this part is too low,” she says, explaining the seam should not hit below the shoulder for the coolest slouchy effect, “you can’t cheat it.” As a stylist, movie stars pay Zoe a rumored $10,000 a day for such dressing advice, but today, she’s not just styling, she’s also up-selling her brand-new clothing line, Rachel Zoe Collection, which hit more than 100 retail sales floors in the U.S. and Canada four weeks ago.
The seventies- and boho-inspired wares, which include suiting, long dresses, blouses, sequin minidresses, and faux-fur vests, look exactly like something Zoe would wear. “It’s insta-chic,” she tells her next client, a 30-ish hedge fund manager, helping her into a camel cape. “I don’t mean to sound like a walking advertisement, but it is.” That $695 wool cape has already sold out at Nordstrom, which will reorder it before the weather actually feels like fall, at which time they’ll probably sell out of it again.
Zoe has been a boldfaced tabloid name since 2004, when she made over Nicole Richie in her boho-chic image. But she became a star in her own right after her Bravo reality show The Rachel Zoe Project debuted in 2008, with the last season finale attracting 1.1. million viewers (the show’s fourth season premieres tonight). So when her collection debuted at New York Fashion Week last February, it did so as yet another clothing line by a celebrity. But Zoe’s line, unlike a lot of celebrity lines, is neither cheap nor fleeting nor forgettably drab. The difference may be the fashion credibility she earned after working for many years behind the scenes, not only dressing folks like Britney Spears and Jennifer Garner, but styling fashion shoots for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and ad campaigns for brands like True Religion.
No one knew that red-carpet stylists existed until Barbara Tfank famously dressed Uma Thurman in Prada for the 1995 Oscars (it was one of the first times a star appeared in something you could actually buy off the rack, as opposed to a specially made gown). Since then, none have become as famous as Zoe, thanks to the public's increasing fascination with the machinations of the fashion industry (thanks in part to reality shows like hers!) and the rapid proliferation of fashion websites in need of their own celebrities. Now stylists like Zoe, Nicola Formichetti (who became creative director of Mugler after styling Lady Gaga), and Taylor Tomasi-Hill (who consults for Sigerson Morrison) are almost as famous as the stars they dress, and creating a personality is part of the job — something agents look for when signing new talent.
For a first-time line, the Rachel Zoe Collection’s launch was unusually large. Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Intermix all picked it up, and they claim they’re already having trouble keeping the pieces, which range from $250 to $700, in stock. “It’s been a long time since we’ve taken that kind of risk with a first-time designer at Bloomingdale’s,” says Stephanie Solomon, the women’s fashion director at the chain, which normally launches new lines in only “a handful of stores” (the Zoe line is in eight). Nordstrom’s vice-president of designer apparel, Jennifer Wheeler, agrees that something felt different about this line: “It’s great when you have a name, but if you don’t have the goods — if the collection wasn’t good — it wouldn’t work,” she says. Nordstrom executives say the sell-through rate has quadrupled expectations. Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director of Saks, also describes the volume Saks bought of the collection as “unusual.” “It’s not just a one-season kind of thing,” Sherin says. “She’s in this as a serious business.”
Zoe, whose favorite words and phrases are maj (short for major),bananas, and “I die,” may not sound like your typical businesswoman. But she emphatically prefers to call herself that, rather than a “celebrity.” And the strategic moves she made in conceiving this line indicate that she is indeed a businesswoman — and a very good one. First, she partnered with Li & Fung, the highly successful manufacturer that did $16 billion in sales last year and counts House of Deréon, Jennifer Lopez’s Kohl’s line, and Sean John men’s sportswear among its brands. Catherine Moellering, executive vice-president of Tobe, a retail trend consulting company, suspects Li & Fung gave retailers confidence, practically speaking. She explains, “With Li & Fung, [retailers] feel very comfortable stepping out with it from a production standpoint. It’s going to be flawless, and there are not always great examples of celebrity start-ups that can execute. Li & Fung just knows how to do it — they understand the profitability dance.”
Second, Zoe positioned the line in an underserved part of the market. The price point of the Rachel Zoe Collection puts it “right on the cusp of bridge” — a category that includes Tory Burch and Elie Tahari — “which is consistently the most problematic in the department store puzzle,” Moellering says. Moellering wonders if Li & Fung, which boasts strong relationships with many retailers, tapped its network to find out where the greatest market share would be for Zoe: “In relation to the market, and where there is a void, that seems very smart to me.”
Zoe says she made a conscious decision about pricing “because I think that there are enough brilliant designers doing the designer clothes at this point.” She adds, “I was really maniacal about keeping prices down. And I remember there were certain pieces that I loved the sample, and I would sit with my design team and it was like this is this amount of money, and I was like, I'm not going above that price point. It's too expensive.”
She made a bold debut with tailoring, which is never easy to do and especially not for a first collection, including pantsuits in plaid, black, and tan. Sequined frocks and tiered cocktail dresses in cream and leopard also figure prominently. The outerwear included faux-fur vests and coats with faux-fur paneling — easy shortcuts for those who want to copy the stylist’s trademark look. The line is more L.A. glam than New York cool — stylish but not so stylish that it’s scary to casual observers of fashion.
Moellering easily sees Zoe’s brand becoming the “full-on lifestyle” kind, growing until it encompasses everything from clothes to jewelry to swimwear to fragrance. “Li & Fung, they’re not doing this to be a $20 million dollar business, they are doing this because they want it to be a multi-billion-dollar business.”
Zoe will tell you she works hard for all this. “I've worked with a lot of designers. I really understand the design process,” she says. “It is so much fun, but it is a lot of work. I picked this sequin out of ten thousand sequins, I picked this wool out of a hundred wools, I picked this faux fur out of four hundred samples of faux fur.” Such claims are not uncommon from celebrities with clothing lines, who often tell the press they know how to make great clothes when they’ve actually had little to do with the line that bears their name. But Zoe’s background as a stylist brings her extra credibility. “She’s a celebrity because she’s an incredible stylist,” notes Nordstrom’s Wheeler. “The two are very interrelated. She always had her finger on the pulse of where fashion is going, and she indeed helped push it in that direction. And she knows what makes women look good.” Though Zoe says she didn’t know her aesthetic would be huge on the runways when she launched the line, that’s exactly what happened. “Who really does boho and seventies better than Rachel?” Moellering says. “And those have to be two of the biggest trends right now.”
Zoe admits it’s not easy to go from stylist to designer in the rarified world of high fashion. “I have sat with these buyers and fashion directors of these retail stores for many, many years,” she says. “And the editor-in-chiefs and things — the thought of being judged by them is petrifying. Petrifying.” The added workload of the line is no small obstacle, either. New labels typically have much more time to plan their first collection than their second, third, fourth, and so on, and those subsequent collections really tell retailers how much endurance a line will have. Zoe says she is primed to handle the fabled pace of fashion. “Now I’m styling spring for the presentation in a couple of weeks, but the next day we started doing the fabrics and sketches for fall, so it’s kind of keeping your head in one place and being clear about what season you’re in. But I’ve always had to deal with that as a stylist and fashion editor as well — the models are wearing fur in June and bikinis in December.” She says you can expect the boot-cut pant in some iteration every season — along with sequins and faux fur, naturally. Also in the works: fragrance, jewelry, and beauty products.
Zoe admits it’s not easy to go from stylist to designer in the rarified world of high fashion. “I have sat with these buyers and fashion directors of these retail stores for many, many years,” she says. “And the editor-in-chiefs and things — the thought of being judged by them is petrifying. Petrifying.” The added workload of the line is no small obstacle, either. New labels typically have much more time to plan their first collection than their second, third, fourth, and so on, and those subsequent collections really tell retailers how much endurance a line will have. Zoe says she is primed to handle the fabled pace of fashion. “Now I’m styling spring for the presentation in a couple of weeks, but the next day we started doing the fabrics and sketches for fall, so it’s kind of keeping your head in one place and being clear about what season you’re in. But I’ve always had to deal with that as a stylist and fashion editor as well — the models are wearing fur in June and bikinis in December.” She says you can expect the boot-cut pant in some iteration every season — along with sequins and faux fur, naturally. Also in the works: fragrance, jewelry, and beauty products.
Back to the Saks Fifth Avenue Club, when Zoe wraps up her visits with private clients, Saks CEO Steven I. Sadove pulls Zoe aside. “Did you see your windows? It’s our feature window,” he tells her. She hasn’t, but she will take a look after she greets a packed roomful of adoring fans at a cocktail reception a few floors up.
“I'm always going to style. It's the core of what I do. It's who I am. I love my clients,” Zoe says. Many of them will happily support her by wearing the line. But, Zoe adds, “If they wear it, great. If they don't, that's okay too. Definitely not forcing it in their faces.” And yet Jennifer Lopez, who is not a client of Zoe’s, has already worn pieces from the collection for two public appearances. InStyle endorsed it with a party in L.A. in June, where celebrities like Amber Valetta and Ali Larter happily wore the pieces. Marketing opportunities like that don’t just happen to anyone with a clothing line — and that is why a name like Zoe’s is so valuable.
After reading the article, please watch the attached short videos and watch one episode of Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo which is on Tuesday nights at 10 (channel 44 on cablevision). However, you can see an older episode earlier then 10 on Tuesday as well.
http://www.ovguide.com/video/the-rachel-zoe-project-meet-rachel-zoe-922ca39ce10036ba0e11fcd1896318f9
Respond to the below
Now that you have learned about Rachel Zoe, who she is and her talents, respond to the following question. Rachel started as a Stylist, and only this season designed her very first clothing line. It seems like an easy transition from styling to designing. . .or is it. Rachel talks a lot about her inspiration, and you can see it in what she wears herself. Describe how Rachel used these inspirations and her own style in the look of her new collection. The videos I provided give a good sense of how she styles a celebriy as well as herself. The answers are within these references. What are the connections from styling to designing her own line you can identify in thought, in time periods, in details and color?
- Please identity moments and details from the article videos - - power phrase and reference
- Please research the eras or times Rachel mentions if you need to, to make the connection
- Please post your comment by Sept 16th. Good idea to save your post in word. . .just incase you have a problem saving so you do not loose your work
- Contact me at rmalik@rbrhs.org, before, with questions, problems, etc. . .don't wait until the next class
7 comments:
Rachel Zoe Emily Natale
Rachel Zoe's inspirations were mostly from the 70s. She doesn't really get her inspirations from specific people but from specific time periods. She used her inspiration and her own personal style in the look of her new collection by using sequins mini dresses faux fur vests and big jewelry to get that 70's look.
The connections of styling and designing her own line is that she knows what looks good and what's in style by being a stylist. You can design clothes but if its not what people like and it isn't in style your collection will not go anywhere. By Rachel being a stylist shows that she knows what's in style and that is one of the reasons why her collection is so successful. She knows what looks good on women and what women like. She can put a whole outfit together and make it look fabulous, so it is easy for her to design an outfit and make it look fabulous. She actually designs her clothes, unlike many celebrities that don't know much about fashion and don't have much to do with there collection. That is why she considers herself more as a business women than a celebrity. She says its very fun but you have to put all your time into it. It shows that her hard work pays off because her collection is beautiful. Although being a stylist did help her be a good designer she admits it is a hard transition to go from." I have sat with these buyers and fashion directors of these retail stores for many, many years,” she says. “And the editor-in-chiefs and things — the thought of being judged by them is petrifying. Petrifying." Even if it is a big change I think she is doing a great job and her background of being a stylist really shows in her designs. I think this collection will go very far and she has a lot more to come.
Rachel Zoe’s inspiration definitely comes from collection of what she has viewed throughout her time as a stylist and by what she views everywhere she goes. Her line consists of various patterns, bell bottom pants, wide straps and puffy arms. She uses neutral colors, blacks and a hint of brighter colors, seen in the blues she adds in some of her sequined mini dresses, within most of her fall clothing apparel. She applies her use of travel to her advantage; taking certain aspects of New York, London, Milan etc. into her own work. Zoe loves prints and bo-ho chic. This definitely shines through in all of her pieces. Each piece is trendy, and can be worn everyday, by every day people. Her collection shines through with what she wears and what she tends to choose for her clients. Zoe loves sequins, glamour and vintage pieces. With Rachel’s stylistic eye she has a great advantage with speeding into the design word. Unlike many celebrities, Zoe spends an extreme amount of time designing and pricing her clothing. She thinks about the average consumer and how much they are willing to spend on a beautiful piece of clothing. I believe her fall collection will prosper and do very well; for Nordstrom and NM have already said the pieces are flying out of the doors. I look forward to what Zoe has in store for her future lines.
Zoe's collection is mostly inspired by the seventies,and the looks are like something she would wear.She knows what makes women look good and knows whats on style, but her desings have her own credibility and they represent the kind of person she is."Creating a personality is part of the job"stephanie soloman said.
Zoe is a women that works hard and takes lots of risks." it is so much fun, but it is a lot of work" zoe says.She has worked with a lot of designers and understood the design process.But she has become famous because of all the hard work she has put into her desings and her work is already being pay off with this great line she has.
" she's a celebrity because shes an incredible stylist"
Brittany Somol
She used a lot of seventies and bo-ho style mixed together to create her look. She designed a line based off her own personal style. She says she tries to encompass everything—chic, glamour, London, New York. She likes the super glamorous women of the sixties and seventies like Bridget Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Sofia Loren, Bianca Jagger and most importantly her mom. So she grew up with the style and its had a “maj” impact on her. The fashion of those eras were primarily floaty skirts ( long white ones), furry gilets, embroidered tunics, cropped jackets, large faux-coin belts, sheepskin boots and cowboy boots, baggy cardigan, and leggings. She puts a lot of thought and work into her collections because unlike other celebrities she is a designer.
rachel zoe has been a artist and her first clothing line just cam eout this year she has been inspired from her mother most of her style is a glamrous and chic look she designs according to her personal look witch is more to say a hippi look she designed more like long flurry skirts and a lot of croped jacketshe says in her article she tells us about her style the first thing she says that you cant miss the cropped loook she take most of her style from the 70,s and late 60,she has been an designer for a long time but just this year she had designed her own fashion line witch express her personality and so on and so fourth.
mimz
rachel zoe has been a artist and her first clothing line just cam eout this year she has been inspired from her mother most of her style is a glamrous and chic look she designs according to her personal look witch is more to say a hippi look she designed more like long flurry skirts and a lot of croped jacketshe says in her article she tells us about her style the first thing she says that you cant miss the cropped loook she take most of her style from the 70,s and late 60,she has been an designer for a long time but just this year she had designed her own fashion line witch express her personality and so on and so fourth.
mimz
rachel zoe has been a artist and her first clothing line just cam eout this year she has been inspired from her mother most of her style is a glamrous and chic look she designs according to her personal look witch is more to say a hippi look she designed more like long flurry skirts and a lot of croped jacketshe says in her article she tells us about her style the first thing she says that you cant miss the cropped loook she take most of her style from the 70,s and late 60,she has been an designer for a long time but just this year she had designed her own fashion line witch express her personality and so on and so fourth.
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