Rachel Zoe became a household name as a stylist to the stars, dressing Hollywood fashionistas like Nicole Richie, Joy Bryant, and Kate Hudson. However, it was the debut of her reality TV show, The Rachel Zoe Project, in 2008 and eponymous clothing collection in 2011 that put Zoe solidly on the fashion A-list. After expanding her brand into jewelry, accessories, and the seasonal Box of Style (not to mention her must-read blog, the Zoe Report), Zoe has finally made the jump into bridal. Her capsule collection of 10 looks will make their runway debut today in Los Angeles alongside the designer’s Spring 2018 ready-to-wear line. The collection—which includes dresses, a jumpsuit, and a sequined tuxedo and will retail between $595 and $1,000—will be available for preorder on ShopRachelZoe.com starting September 5, with delivery beginning February 2018. Here, Zoe gives Brides the exclusive first interview on her wedding-worthy new line.
Why did you decide to introduce bridal into your brand?
Being a stylist for 20 years, the red carpet has been all about creating those really incredible Cinderella moments, and I think that bridal is the ultimate fairy tale for women. When I was styling, 50 percent of the red-carpet moments that I would collaborate on were white or ivory or ecru [gowns]. Then, when I became a designer, every season without fail I made white dresses. I just love a white-dress moment. My very first season that I designed anything, in 2011, one of my best friends got married in one of the dresses that I made in red for the collection, and she asked me to make it for her in white, and I did. Season after season for the last several years, I would get tagged on Instagram or I would meet someone on the street who said, “I got married in your dress,” and it was so exciting to be a part of that story in a woman’s life.
What are some lessons you’ve learned as a designer and a stylist that helped shape your designs?
So much from my styling life comes into play in terms of how things are cut, how things are fit, how they are in the bust, how it is on the back, how it is the person needs to wear a bra, certain fabrics that definitely won’t wrinkle as much when worn for six hours or more—things like that. And making things that aren’t too complicated, but you feel like your dress is $10,000 even if it isn’t.
