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Shopping with Kelly Bensimon
New York’s most outrageous Real Housewife tries on summer dresses, sandals, and jewelry at her favorite Manhattan stores. The Daily Beast’s Rachel Syme guards the dressing rooms.
Kelly Killoren Bensimon, former fashion model and onetime editor of Elle Accessories, was just your average downtown-fashionaholic ex-society-wife (she was once married to longtime Elle photographer and creative director Gilles Bensimon, with whom she has two daughters, Sea and Teddy). That is, until last year, when she decided to take her lifestyle public. First, she started penning “The Socializer” column for the now-defunct Page Six Magazine (full disclosure: I worked there) in which she recorded observations from nights out on the town such as, “There’s something about [Michelle Obama] that reminds me of Eleanor Roosevelt, maybe because Eleanor was the accessories queen,” and “…then Ron Perelman showed up and I found myself talking to Kyle MacLachlan about planning cross-country road trips with our kids.”
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And then, she became a Real Housewife. On season two of Bravo’s decadence-exposing reality paean to the female upper crust, Bensimon signed on as the single mom about town, shown cavorting in the Hamptons and designing jewelry lines while the other housewives lunched, munched, and gossiped. She was depicted as usually late, definitely fabulous, and a little out of the loop when it came to the other housewives’ vicious circle—but she doesn’t care. “At this point, the press has had their way with me,” says Bensimon. “I was a model, I know, it’s all part of the game. And you know what? I had so much fun shooting that show. It’s a catharsis, putting it all out there like that for people to see and judge and report back on.”
Though Bensimon has had her share of troubles since filming the show—the gossip press accused her earlier this year of slugging her then-beau Nicholas Stefanov (she struck a deal with the judge)—she seemed genuinely happy when we met up for a shopping trip in her neighborhood—near downtown’s Little Italy. She was tanned, tall, and wearing a breezy Etro dress—and was eager to share her fashion knowhow, honed from years behind the camera, editing, and making jewelry, with America.
View our gallery as we go on a spree with the newest housewife (who, if reports are true, is officially signed on for season three), for summer dresses, gladiator sandals, sequined hot pants, and more.
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
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The Week in Culture
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
Eloise at 55
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
The Week in Culture
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
Tina,
Is there nothing else for Rachel do to at the Beast?
Yes...good point. "Culture Editor"? I'd like to see a bit more CULTURE and a bit less CELEBU-TRASH. Will this chick just get hit by a bus already? Another one that needs emergency sterilization.
I have seen what Bensimon put on her back---------- and it's NOT GOOD
I know it's 15 min of fame but surely time has ran out by now
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have ya read her week in "culture"? so, no, nothing else
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Please spare us any further torture, kelly bensimon couldn't be anymore lame.
I read this article out of curiosity and ended up wondering whether Ms. Bensimon is amazingly stupid, amazingly disconnected from how stupid she comes across or just an amazingly good actor or performance artist.
Is this some kind of shrewd journalistic attempt to raise our conciousness about the frightenly banal and small minds that are obsessed with the religion of self in relation to the material world? If so, the author suceeded. Scary, sary, scary.
Forget about whether Kelly is amazingly stupid (way) or somehow amazingly detached from reality (way, way) -- Rachel is even more detached, and she gets to write here! Hmmm . . . case in point: the gossip press accused Kelly of assault? We remember filed charges.
Many of us still regale our friends with imitations of "I have so many charities I work for" - "what charities - um, none right now" or "you have arthritis - how cute!" or "you are (down) here and I am (up) here."
Performance artist is a new twist, but too optimisitic - Kelly is delusional, and apparently so is Rachel. (But please, not Tina!)
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>>>>>Is this some kind of shrewd journalistic attempt to raise our conciousness about the frightenly banal and small minds that are obsessed with the religion of self in relation to the material world?
No, that would never happen on TDB. Rather, I think that this is sponsored content.
That "shrewd journalistic attempt" question was a rhetorical and sarcastic question.
Yes, it's obvious that this was sponsored content, replete with the hilarious casual plugs for the shoe vendor and hairdresser that she just" happened to" (OMG!) run into!
Models always look good when you don't know them.
The most pointless item I've read all year? Absolutely. The most pointless item I've ever read? Definitely in the top 5. Really Daily Beast, you should be ashamed of this waste of electrons.
Very disappointing to find not only vapid, but truly incompetent reporting on this otherwise interesting new site.
Bensimon was indicted and pled GUILTY to beating a guy. Not funny, not cute. Guys do prison time for it. She was lucky.
Also, her behaviour on Housewives consistent of incoherent bleatings that made pretty much everyone conclude that she was not only a sick personality, but simply dumb.
Next: she needed to hire a nanny to instruct her on how to talk to her own children.
Next, she is a parasite living off of her ex-husbands wealth and hasn't made money that could even pay for her co-op. She is, in essence, a kept woman whose ongoing battle with the English language and rational thought are the main themes of her Housewives "stardom." Only a woman this dumb would sign up for a second year of being seen as a public clown.
You are calling this article "vapid" and "incompetent" and yet you apparently know far too much about this woman!! How does that jibe with what you think of this "new" site??
Snaaaaaap.
Wow, you seem to really know a lot about this "vapid" person. How is that? Do you know her? Those are really harsh opinions you have about someone you don't even know.
I've noticed that people who take strong negative stands against other people are acting out their own self loathing. It makes sense. If you don't like yourself, how can you like anyone else.
I love watching Kelly on the RHW of NYC and Plum. I think she is fascinating. She does say some funny things, but haven't we all? I'm sure if a camera followed you and I around they could find some zingers.
As someone else pointed out, you sure are spending a lot of your precious time on someone you can't stand. That's a really sad and pointless way to spend your time, no?
Oh my gosh, her poor children!!!
Can't believe she made the summer blogfest!!
I'm surprised to see this kind of dreck on TDB. I'm sure there are more interesting things happening in the world of fashion. Kelly Bensimon belongs on reality TV where the world can bear witness to her crass stupidity and grating self-promotion. Her numbskull is out of place on this site, which I at one time thought was immune to this type of 'journalism'.
WOW!.......this is what our society has come to isn't it?
Vapid, boring woman & useless information for a Thursday afternoon. What did she do to garner a tdb piece I have to wonder?
She is a mess
Is she running for president yet on the GOP ticket? Joe the plumber will assist.
I thought the article was interesting and fun. I've never watched "Housewives" (in any of its incarnations) so I don't know anything about Ms. Bensimon. However, I do like to shop!! Kelly and I have a lot in common, apparently!!
I'm just curious . . . if all of you dislike this woman so much, why did you bother to (1) read the article about her; and (2) take the time to comment on it? I assure you, I would not waste my time commenting on something that didn't interest me.
And steff47, the correct word is "run" not "ran" as in "surely time as run out by now." Just a heads up for the next time you want to say something clever.
I read and comment because I am a great fan of the show. The slideshow was a riot! Kelly has great competition, but to find anyone more self-absorbed and unaware would be very difficult. But I'm sure Bravo will discover them for us!
Paid self-promotion. Why does TDB publish this? It's pointless, and honestly, disgraceful to read about spoiled people shopping for expensive brands in times of recession.
Priceless! One could not write a better parody.
Bensimon.....man she is a real "tough"......(snicker)
http://www.thefrisky.com/tag/real housewives of nyc/
Please explain how an article about shopping and Kelly Bensimon represents culture.
Culture is Dead.
Who is this vapid and homely woman?
I love these words to describe this person. Vapid and homely PLUS she can't ride a horse to save her life. Stay off the horses, kellie--you have no talent at riding and other things too !!
wanna be social climbing twit. i hope she is allergic to botox.
She is uninteresting, idiotic, rich and all about what is wrong with america. Like we need another drug addict with money to divert our attention? Ick.
Hysterical. I was laughing out loud. Rachel Syne is a genius. My favorite Kellyism:
"How I speak has nothing to do with the way I think."
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