Daily Front Row

2011 December 7

A Moment With...Rachel Zoe

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Rachel Zoe
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

(NEW YORK) The Daily caught up with Rachel Zoe recently to chat about a particularly dear subject to her (and us): shoes! Plus, find out what didn’t make it into her Piperlime holiday gift picks, though she covered basically everything else. And all the other Zoe-isms you’ve been waiting with baited breath to learn: her stance on margaritas, the chicest practical use for a stroller, and her fash flock “soulmate.”
ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV

Do you remember your very first love affair with a pair of shoes?
Oh God, I don’t know. That was way far back! The shoes I first coveted were when Tom Ford was designing for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. I bought some of Tom’s shoes, and I don’t think I even wore them. I just wanted to look at them. I mean, they basically are art.

Have you had any memorable footwear fiascos over the years? 
Of course; there have been way, way too many to name. I used to live in New York, so I ran all over from place to place just like everybody else. I was dashing to an appointment somewhere, the sidewalk was raised, and it caught my shoe. The heel just snapped right off. 

How did you remedy the harrowing heel-less drame? 
I hobbled. And then I hailed a cab and went home. 

So how many pairs of shoes does your son, Skyler, own so far?
I’m venturing to say around 30 pairs, maybe. It’s under 100 pairs, for sure. 

What are your tips for shopping with a tot in tow? 
Sometimes, I hold him in one arm and use his stroller to hold his shopping bags. Kind of like a shopping cart! 

You and Brian Atwood recently exchanged awards at the Footwear News awards fête—what’s kept you two chummy for so many years? 
Brian is just the most deliciously kind person. It’s weird how much I love him. I like to say that we’re soulmates.

You’ve curated a plethora of holiday gifts—what didn’t make it into the coterie of Piperlime picks?
I’d love to get a faux fur jacket for Christmas. That would really excite me; faux fur is generally really, really, really awesome. 

Time for a pun or two (or three). Favorite wintry food to eat “piping” hot? 
Definitely soup; minestrone is the best. Anything chunky, hot, and filled with vegetables. I’ll do a pasta fagioli as well. 

And how do you like your limes? 
To be honest, I’m not a big drinker but I do love margaritas. Sometimes when I was pregnant, I would make Roger get me a non-alcoholic margarita. I actually like limes in everything.