Rebecca Minkoff Knew Rachel Zoe’s ‘Real Housewives’ Debut Would Be a Mess

I know what you're thinking, because we're all thinking it: Rachel Zoe's back on Bravo! I die! But Rachel Zoe's return to Bravo comes via becoming the latest diamond holder on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It's an interesting choice.

 For Zoe herself, she shared that when the timing was right, or she had a lot to say, she'd be back on our screens, but after starring in her own titular series, is she ready to share it with this batch of women?

The celebrated fashion stylist may be best known to reality television lovers as the star of The Rachel Zoe Project, which ended more than a decade earlier. But one would think, having a name like hers and the reality television experience under her belt, she'd aspire to reboot her own show. Instead, she'll be joining a franchise undergoing some big shifts of energy amid Garcelle Beauvais' departure, Sutton Stracke seemingly lost on an island of support, Erika Jayne's ongoing litigation, and two major players still dealing with high-profile separations. It will be fascinating to see if she's ready to play in the big leagues. I wonder if Rebecca Minkoff warned her of her experience on The Real Housewives of New York City before signing up.

What Made Rachel Zoe Return to Reality TV?

The moment that Rachel Zoe was officially announced as the newest cast member of RHOBH, the hype was high. The internet went wild, seemingly forgetting about the other Bravo news stories of the week: Tom Girardi's prison sentence, Lexi Wood and Paige DeSorbo leaving Summer House, and Brit Eady suing Bravo for $20 million. The weekend began with the news of Zoe's long-awaited return to Bravo. Though it has been met with some confusion as to why this project is now.

In her announcement on Instagram, Zoe said in a video, "It's been a while, and you've been asking me to come back to television, and I said when the stars align, or it makes sense, or I have enough to say to share with all of you, and now is the time. Really excited to be with all of you again, and I hope you are too, so let's have some fun! Mwah!" After a five-season run on Bravo, Zoe became one of the most sought-after and beloved reality stars. Having an already established career in the reality universe, is she going to slip in easily with this group, or will her years in front of the camera cause her star power to realign?

She Should Take a Cue From Rebecca Minkoff's Experience

There have certainly been some high-profile individuals who have entered The Real Housewives Cinematic Universe. Not all have fared as well as they might think. When it comes to the world of fashion and design, the closest comparison to Zoe would be Rebecca Minkoff when she joined the reboot of The Real Housewives of New York City. Both are well-regarded women in the fashion industry and established entrepreneurs. While Minkoff had a few difficult moments during her tenure, she was highly regarded as a flop. Not because she wasn't interesting, it was that the expectations were high, and she sadly couldn't deliver.

Minkoff was viewed as an outsider to the group, and one may argue she had a superiority complex because of her already established career. Regardless of how impressive one's resume is, Housewives is a different beast. Had Minkoff come in more open to the group and not so publicity-trained, it could have worked out in her favor. We know that Rachel Zoe can deliver, but will she in this new capacity? Here's hoping Rebecca Minkoff gave Rachel Zoe some pointers during their girls' night out before signing the big contract.

Who Does Rachel Zoe Have Connections To on 'RHOBH?'

Rachel Zoe will be in good company as she will be freshly single. She and husband Rodger Berman separated in September 2024 after 26 years of marriage. Like Dorit Kemsley and Kyle Richards, both of whom are engaged in high-profile separations, Zoe will have something to connect over. This past Christmas, Zoe attended Kathy Hilton's holiday party, which Richards also attended. If you go back in time, it appears that Sutton Stracke and Jennifer Tilly attended Rachel Zoe's shopping event back in 2016. Bozoma Saint John appeared on Zoe's podcast, Climbing in Heels with Rachel Zoe.

Rachel Zoe will be joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills during a very integral rebuilding period. The friend group has experienced some drastic turmoil that many are unsure if it can weather the storm. Now, the reality star will be stepping into the world hoping to help the cause. We know what she can bring, but what will she bring? All we can hope for is that Rachel Zoe doesn't get shaded like Rebecca Minkoff did following Brynn Whitfield's infamous Nordstrom Rack comment. Though let's be honest, would any of these ladies really know where to find Rachel Zoe-branded items? Certainly Jennifer Tilly and Kathy Hilton have never stepped foot inside a HomeGoods or TJ Maxx before!