Let’s roll back to the early 2010s when skinny jeans were king, and flip phones were still lurking in the wild. Enter Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski, a power duo so stylish, they probably coordinated their coffee cups to match their outfits. But alas, every fairy tale needs a villain—or, at least, a seriously dramatic plot twist.
The year was 2010. Brad, then 47 (and still serving looks), decided to peace out of his job as Rachel’s assistant at her styling empire, Rachel Zoe Inc. Now, at the time, they told the world, “Oh yeah, we’re good! Besties forever! Hugs!” but little did we know that under those designer shades, there was some juicy drama brewing.
Fast-forward to now: Rachel, the queen of draped fabrics and oversized sunglasses, has spoken. In a recent interview, when asked where things stand with Brad, she basically threw out a verbal shrug: “I just, honestly, don’t talk to him.” BOOM. Mic drop. She then went on to deliver the ultimate shade with a side of apathy: “There is no… I don’t think about it. Truthfully.” Translation? Brad who?
Now, let’s rewind a bit. In 2011, Brad, now the star of his own Bravo show It’s a Brad, Brad World (because of course it is), spilled his own version of the drama tea. He had “an idea” of what went wrong, but according to him, the reasons were as unjust as wearing last season’s shoes. He doubled down, saying he’s always carried himself with “honesty, dignity, and grace,” which basically sounds like a Miss Universe pageant speech. And you know what? He was committed to staying classy, no matter what gossip spilled over.
But wait, Rachel wasn’t done yet. In a 2011 interview, she dropped some accusations that could make your designer tote bag tremble. According to her, Brad said he was ready to hit pause on his styling gig to spend more time cuddling with his then-boyfriend (now husband) Gary Janetti and their dog. But instead, Brad allegedly turned around and started hustling her clients, snatching up styling gigs faster than you can say, “This is bananas!”—which, by the way, is her catchphrase. Betrayal, much?
Rachel claimed that within a week of Brad leaving, he was basically everywhere she turned. Like a fashion-forward ninja. He was attending events, working the red carpets, and living the high-fashion life he swore he wasn’t interested in. Plot twist! Rachel didn’t mince words about it, either: “It’s not the first time I’ve been used,” she said, “but it’s definitely gonna be the last.” Dramatic pause Cue exit music.
And that is the tale of Rachel vs. Brad—fashion’s juiciest, shadiest breakup that didn’t involve sequins… but definitely involved some serious shade.
