Fashion designer Rachel Zoe has made a candid debut on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, pulling back the curtain on the painful complexities of her divorce from Rodger Berman and its impact on their family.
Children in the Know: A Swift New Relationship
In the season 15 premiere, which aired on Thursday, Zoe, 54, disclosed a poignant detail: her two sons were aware their father had moved on with a new girlfriend very shortly after the couple separated. The designer shares sons Skyler, 14, and Kaius, 11, with her ex-husband.
"The kids have known probably for 10 months," Zoe revealed during the episode. When a producer pointed out that this timeline suggested Berman "got a girlfriend right after you guys separated," Zoe responded pointedly, "I'll let you do the math."
Zoe confirmed that Rodger Berman, 55, has been with his current girlfriend, Bree Jacoby, 36, for about a year. The couple were first photographed together just four months after Zoe and Berman's separation, with images obtained by the Daily Mail. They made their relationship Instagram official in September 2024.
A Fractured Family Dynamic
The fallout from the swift new relationship has directly affected the children, according to Zoe. She described their current relationship with their father as "tricky."
"I think that they wonder why he sometimes does or says things he says, why he acts the way he does, why there's time spent with his girlfriend versus his kids," she explained, highlighting the difficult adjustments for Skyler and Kaius.
As for her own post-divorce relationship with Berman, Zoe stated she is attempting to foster a cordial connection and "look at him as a friend." However, she admitted this is a work in progress, conceding, "We're not there yet."
Reflecting on the End of a 33-Year Union
Zoe also used the platform to reflect on the breakdown of her marriage to Berman, a tech entrepreneur she met 34 years ago as a student at George Washington University. The pair were together for 33 years and married for 26.
"I think after we had kids, I think it changes, at the end of the day. I think we've outgrown each other," she mused. "We became very different people."
She cited the strain of working together professionally as a significant factor, saying lines "got crossed" and her husband began to feel "unrecognizable." "Ultimately, that person didn't feel right around me or my kids," Zoe stated.
The formal split was announced in September 2023, with Zoe filing for divorce in July 2024, listing the date of separation as June 27, 2024. Despite describing the initial months apart as "brutal," Zoe has found a new peace.
"I don't come home to an empty house said [anymore]. I come home to an empty house smiling. It's very peaceful," she shared. Her primary focus remains her children's wellbeing: "If my kids are great, all is fine."
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 15 continues every Thursday on Bravo, with episodes available to stream the following day on Peacock.
