2011 called … and said “you’re welcome” for reminding Us of the juicy drama between Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski (as if we’d ever forget).
In July 2021, fans were intrigued to find that the feud between the stylists — which started over a decade ago — is still going on. But for those who weren’t around at the height of the drama (or who may want to refresh their memory), we’re happy to start at the beginning.
Once upon a time, stylist Zoe found herself with an expanded fan base after the September 2008 release of her Bravo reality show, The Rachel Zoe Project. The series, which ran for five seasons, followed the fashion expert as she dressed some of the brightest stars all the while balancing her personal life. Another fan-favorite character on the show? Goreski, Zoe’s beloved assistant who showed some major styling chops of his own.
While viewers loved watching the close coworkers’ dynamic, their work relationship came to an end in September 2010 when Goreski announced he was leaving Zoe’s company to begin his own styling career.
While the duo alleged that everything was fine between them in separate statements, rumors began to swirl that they’d been in a tiff since a profile on the Canada native was published in The New York Times earlier that month. In the piece, Goreski was dubbed The Rachel Zoe Project’s “breakout personality.” The story later mentioned that she’d tried to give him a makeover during an episode “with limited success.”
While the Canada’s Drag Race judge was given a show of his own, It’s a Brad Brad World, in March 2011, Zoe began slamming her former coworker in her own series.
According to the designer, the former assistant told her and her husband, Rodger Berman, that he wanted to have a life outside of fashion.
“[Within a week of leaving, he] started [to] pursue our clients, started going to all these events, and doing all the things he said he had no interest in,” she said during a September 2011 episode. “It’s not the first time I’ve been used. I would say it’s going to be the last time, though.”
The duo’s drama continued for years — through fashion show snubs, new projects and many talk show appearances. In July 2021, it was reignited when Andy Cohen asked Zoe about Goreski during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.
After fellow guest Mindy Kaling asked for some juice on the situation, Cohen gave a short explanation.
“Well, The Rachel Zoe Project, you need to binge it,” he told the Never Have I Ever creator. “It’s someone who used to work for her and then they kind of had a falling out.”
Scroll down to see the full timeline of the drama: