The Rachel Zoe Project: Trainwreck, Transvestite, Trashionista or just plain Talented. You decide.

I spent Friday night uselessly watching back to back to back episodes of the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo.(not a total loss all together; I am blogging about it) My best friend told me she religiously watches and I was a little more than curious when I noticed there was a Rachel Zoe marathon on Bravo, and the kids were out of the house for the evening. I settled in with the clicker in hand and entered into her world. For those of you who dont know her, Rachel Zoe is the controversial stylist to many hollywood stars, who had a famous and somewhat embarrassing fallout with Nicole Ritchie last year. Never the less, she has been credited with creating some of today's Hollywood's stars signature looks and responsible for starting countless fashion trends. Hence, she has been rewarded with reality show about her life and her work.

Her LA studio was flooded and the fabulous designer gowns she houses for her Hollywood clients were water damaged. Needless to say panic ensued and Rachel's new assistant Brad, dropped the ball when responding to the crisis. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in couture gowns were left hanging in a couple of inches of water while her two styling assistants played a clever game of "it's not my job, it's yours" with each other. Of course it all got figured out, the crisis was handled and the gowns salvaged and sent to the dry cleaners, but not before Brad was given a strict repremand from Rachel and a warning that he had just recieved his first of the "three strikes and you're out" policy she employs. Good TV. We can all relate to that dreaded moment when your boss calls you into their office and issues you a reprimand. I was instantly hooked.

Three hours later, and I found myself traveling to New York with Rachel and her crew for fashion week. Again, good TV. We actually got a taste of what it's like to be a fashion insider in the whirlwind that is New York Fashion Week. Rachel has quite the reputation in the biz and she proves that she is every bit the celebrity herself as the clients she styles. Her pre-show visits to the designers houses and the private preview she enjoys of the show pieces illustrate her "heavy hitter" staus with her equally "heavy hitter" clients.

She is no bigger than a minute with a huge mane of scraggly hair and rediculously oversized sunglasses. It is rumored that she provides some of her clients with miracle drugs to help keep them thin. She even joked about it on one episode and keeps a close eye on what is written about her. She is said to be in her early thirties but she looks MUCH older and occasionally get's dubbed as "transvestite looking" in the press, the effects of her stressful career have not been kind to her face. She looks like she has been used and used hard. (sorry Rachel) Most likely the result of the constant fashion 911's that go on daily in her world.

Despite all of this, I couldn't help but respect the hell out of her and what she does every day. It seems she has undeniably got to where she is now simply because she posesses the talent and drive needed to survive in the cut-throat Hollywood world. She rules with an iron fist but has a kind heart and I found myself rooting for her and her crew. Even her husband Roger, who is adorable, lovingly cuts her the slack she deserves as she begins to create the Rachel Zoe brand and empire. You know he's got her back. Kudos to you Rachel! I'll keep watching and I reccommend you do as well so you can decide for yourself.