Die for Paris Fashion Week!

Die for Paris Fashion Week!

Zoe talks Paris Fashion Week, her 'I die' moment in Coco Chanel's apartment, and more!


Bravotv.com: So we saw you at last year's Paris Fashion Week on tonight's episode. But how is the current Paris Fashion Week going?

Rachel Zoe: I couldn't go. I'm supposed to be there right now, but I had a really big shoot this week, so I'm missing Paris right now.

So you're devastated.

Awful. Devastated. But I have a shoot that's very important. It's a really big cover shoot for one of my favorite magazines with one of my favorite photographers, and just for all those reasons I could not say no. I had to make the right decision. The good news is Paris isn't going anywhere. But don't think that every minute I'm not looking at the collections as they show and pulling my favorites. I'm not even kidding, the job that I'm working on right now, because we are shooting tomorrow and Wednesday, I am getting looks literally straight off models' backs and having them sent via courier or hand carried back for my shoot tomorrow. I'm literally hustling looks off runways across the country and internationally.

So how was Paris Fashion Week last year?

It was incredible. Paris is never short of incredible. But just because Paris Fashion Week is going on, it doesn't mean that the rest of my job stops. Things are always going to come up, it's never happened where something didn't come up. It's never happened that I've been to a Fashion Week in any city when other stuff wasn't going on. There's always something to take care of in LA or something going on in New York - and that's just part of the job. But going to Paris is a very, very important part of the job, and it's certainly one of the things I love most about my job. When I don't get to go, it's very hard for me. Going to Paris always reminds me why I do what I do. It's living the dream! It's that amazing. Any time I miss it, it's gut wrenching.

Was it fun having Brad there for his first Paris Fashion Week?

Yes it really was. It was a little bittersweet of course. I would have loved to have Taylor there. It would have been ideal to have both of them, but it was incredible to give Brad his first time in Paris. I'm really sad that Taylor hasn't had her first time. But there will be another opportunity, and I will take Taylor and it will be amazing.

One of the great things about Brad is that he loves to do everything. He really does. It's one of those things where he plans all his outfits. He literally plans his outfits for WEEKS in advance. He loves going to all the events and doing the whole thing. As much as Taylor doesn't love it, Brad loves it. We're kind of like fashion dates.

And Rodger gets a fashion break...

Yeah it's nice for Rodge, because Rodger's been coming to Paris with me for ten years. And he loves it, but sometimes it's a little too much when he has to do it all day, every day and every night. So it's nice when Brad is with me so Rodger can electively choose which show and which events he wants to see and when he wants to sit out, Brad will be there. So it works out.

What would you say sets Paris Fashion Week apart from a Fashion Week in another city?

Every city has its own unique flavor, style, and energy. In my mind, I think anyone who's fashion obsessed lives for Paris. They just do. I think Paris is probably my favorite city in the world. I think everything about the culture - the way they dress, their innate style - I think they don't try too hard, they just are. That's just what they look like. They walk around the streets eating baguettes and cheese and chocolate and crepes... [Laughs] that's just what they do. They do everything in moderation. The Parisian culture never gets tired for me. It's just IT for me.

One of the highlights of my LIFE was when I went to Coco Chanel's apartment. That was life changing for me. I think that was one of those 'Pinch me... Am I dreaming? Is this real? Can this be real?' kind of moments. Touring her house is not something many people get to do. I believe it was the first time they allowed her home to be used for filming - they let us do that, which was really incredible. It was nothing short of jaw dropping. I just kind of walked around speechless. And I think that's saying something...especially for me. [Laughs] It was just an out of body experience. And then I literally died for it. No really I die for that. It was a once in a lifetime thing and it was really exciting for me to be able to do that for the show so that everyone else could share the experience.

So do you think the Paris situation between Taylor and Brad was resolved well?

Well, the whole Paris situation was a little more intricate than what was shot. There was a lot of back and forth about the whole thing and I did not talk behind Brad's back. I wasn't, as he said, 'trying to test him.' It was something that was a very difficult decision. In my mind, Taylor felt she had the right to go, and she did. Ultimately Taylor gave up the chance. It was a catch-22. Had she gone she would have felt guilty, she would have felt bad that Brad didn't go. It was one of those rare occurrences when Taylor wanted to do something for the first time. I really... it's sometimes how parents walk away for the situation and tell their kids to figure it out amongst themselves. And that's what I did. I told them to deal with it. I told them I wanted both of them there, but that they both couldn't go. By definition Taylor, because she's senior, should have come. Brad says, 'She's our boss, she should make the decision.' But when I told Taylor she was senior so she should come, she turned around and told Brad to go. But no one was going to win in that situation. Taylor is going to stay home and ultimately she's going to be pissed about it. So I had to just walk away from it.

Well, it seems pretty hard to win with Taylor in general.

Yes, definitely. That is correct. But I've had many years of doing this with Taylor. It's not my first day.

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