Fashionable but not slavishly trendy, the ’60s- and ’70s-inflected pieces include wardrobe staples such as classic LBDs and expertly tailored pantsuits. “The last thing I’m going to do when I come out with a collection is try to be Marc [Jacobs],” says Zoe, “I’m not trying to make a huge statement. I’m just trying to make beautiful, wearable, tailored clothes.”
It’s a formula that has served her well. Impressed by the label’s sales figures, Li & Fung has predicted they will be releasing the line in 250 retail outlets worldwide before year’s end. And Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman have already secured an exclusive on Zoe’s new jewelry line, set to debut this fall. The collection of gold-plated baubles, accented with onyx and reconstituted jade, take their cues from Zoe’s own approach to jewelry, which she succinctly sums up as “go big or go home.”
Ultimately, with so much happening on the design front, styling has taken a backseat for Zoe in recent months. Yet ever the troubleshooter, she’s called for backup in the form of stylists Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson. The two women, with the help of three assistants, head up the newly formed Rachel Zoe Styling Studio. “Think of it like a law firm,” says Zoe, who compares her role to that of a senior partner, delegating jobs to whichever associate is best suited to the task. And what do clients get if not Zoe? “They get her resources, her training, her oversight, and they get it to scale,” says Lincoln.
