Over four seasons of The Rachel Zoe Project viewers have watched Rachel Zoe evolve from waifish, self-absorbed A-List celebrity stylist to totally demanding, malnourished, self-important business mogul and now mom. Now new report claims that the bottom is about to drop out from America’s worst boss!
It seems that last season garnered very low ratings for Rachel’s show, which focused predominately on how much she hates ex-assistant Brad Goreski and her pregnancy. Both of which really have nothing to do with fashion. You know, the real reason people even cared about the show.
A lack of viewers’ interest in Rachel’s personal problems culminating with poor sales of her retail line and a lessening of celebrity clients in exchange for focusing on her brand has Bravo execs and fashion investors worried about the future of her empire.
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According to Page Six, sources reveal that Rachel’s line, launched last summer with Chinese retail giant Li & Fung isn’t selling well in stores – despite the fact that it was promoted and advertised heavily on her Bravo show.
Rachel retails the line in several large luxury stores including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, but unfortunately it’s selling poorly across the board. Industry insiders are describing interest in Rachel and her brand as “peaked.” Oof, that’s never a word one wants to hear!
And speaking of her reality show, things are falling apart on that front as well! Another of Rachel’s assistants is moving onto his own show! I swear they all do this on purpose.
Remember last season’s Jeriwhinah (aka Jeremiah Brent) the pretty-boy assistant Rachel hired because he sucked up to her even though he knew nothing about fashion? Well rumor has it Bravo has offered him is own interior design show!
Jeremiah is a furniture designer by trade and “redecorated” Rachel’s home and nursery in record time last season after he was fired and rehired in a producer manipulated plot-line that was utterly ridiculous.
Adding substance to the rumors, Jeremiah has recently started his own business, Jeremiah Brent Design – which may be because Bravo is hoping to chronicle his break-out success in a new show. If you recall, Rachel and her CEO husband Rodger Berman had discussed having Jeremiah helm a not yet actualized Rachel Zoe Home.
It would appear that for all his worry over his job last season, Jeremiah learned how things roll with Zoe assistants right quick and struck while the iron is hot to move out on his own. I’m sure Rachel will do him like she did former assistants Brad and Taylor Jacobson – i.e. trash him to the press and accuse him of betrayal because he didn’t sign his firstborn and his lifetime supply of oxygen over to her.
Rachel and Co. of course deny all the internal problems. Rachel’s rep reveals that she will show at New York Fashion Week in the fall collections, but otherwise did not comment.
Alan Chartash, the chief strategy officer for Li & Fung USA, said: “We’re very happy. Apparel launched a year or so, and since that time, we’ve launched footwear, handbags and we’re launching a line of jewelry exclusively with Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.”
He adds, “We’re supportive of Rachel and the continuation of the brand. Like any clothing line, it ebbs and flows, but we’re very happy with the apparel sales.”
Still – an ebb and flow one year after opening? Not a good projection.
Here’s my two cents: Rachel got too big for her britches too soon. When viewers first tuned in she was working out of her house in her nice, upscale, but not outrageous home. She had Taylor, she hired Brad and things seemed legit. Sure, Rachel was the quintessential stereotype of what one imagines when they think “fashion person” but she was lovable and fun in a kooky, ridiculous way.
Almost immediately she tried to pull a Bethenny Frankel and launch a plethora of brands from the Bravo platform. Unfortunately according to insiders she does not seem to be experiencing Bethenny-levels of success! Frankly, no one watches to see Rachel launch business after business, screaming and yelling, and whining about how stressed she is.
Or having a baby. Or marital problems. In addition, the Rachel of recent seasons has become a parody of herself and is almost entirely unlikeable. Does she even style celebrities anymore or does she just beg the ones wanting some image props to appear on her show as a ruse?
We initially watched for the crazy fashions, the celebs, and the insider look at celebrity styling – and then finally Brad. Once Brad left the show lost a lot of it’s humanity and Rachel is just too harsh to shoulder a show on her own.
Rachel is an amazing stylist. And that is what she should continue to focus on. Not designing. We already have Chanel. We don’t need another Chanel imitator describing her stuff as innovative and amazing. I just want to see Demi Moore almost fall off a giraffe and Rachel treat some assistant like poop because they got her the wrong coffee and wrinkled a $25,000 dress.
Sadly, this seems to be Bravo’s MO so to speak. They take a person (or persons) who are sort of interesting on their own merit whether because of their career, life choices, or personality and they start out featuring the person as is. Suddenly it’s as if the network decides the person is no longer interesting enough and they start fabricating a storyline (usually business-based) that takes the show in a whole new direction. One that is often no longer authentic or interesting to viewers.
Sorry… /rant over.
And just for the record, despite lackluster ratings for his show, Brad’s has allegedly been renewed. I guess the jury is still out on Rachel’s!
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE RACHEL’S LINE AND SHOW ARE FLOUNDERING? DO YOU WATCH HER SHOW?
