“I absolutely
love accessories,” says Kelly Bensimon, posing on the corner of Prince and Mulberry streets in New York's Soho. “Shoes, bags, hats. That’s why I decided to start my third jewelry line—it’s called Kelly, and it comes to stores on Friday. I had two higher end lines—one sold at Barneys—Tyra Banks wore it on the cover of Elle and it was a sensation—and then another vintage-inspired collection sold at Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf’s, and Neiman Marcus. But after appearing on
The Real Housewives of New York, I realized I was selling women an unattainable image. I was telling these women watching in Tennessee to just ‘shop vintage and have fun!’ and honestly, there is not that much great vintage or costume jewelry to be had in most parts of the country. They just have cowboy boots and big pouf skirts. There was a total disconnect between what I tell women to do and what is available to them, so I decided to make my first really affordable line—nothing over $300, and most things around the $50 range. These bracelets that I am wearing are part of the new collection—and they are so easy to wear and for everyone—for 14 and 40 year olds. I wanted it to be trend-driven, and to look expensive, while still being cheap.”
The new line, a collaboration with blingy brand Mouawad, was inspired, Bensimon says, by “Navajo women—but not in a canoe…in a disco or at some really fantastic party.”
Bensimon’s first stop on our shopping trip is her favorite boutique, Calypso, a Soho store that carries what New York women have come to know as “island wear”—appropriate for the Hamptons, Bermuda, or in Bensimon’s case, a trip to the grocery store. “I always want to look like I’m either going on or coming from a vacation,” she says. “And that’s what I love about this place—stepping in here feels like going to St. Barths. I really covet the way the French and the Italians live, don’t you? They work really hard and play really hard, and love their lives. That can completely be done in New York, or anywhere. I say, if your life isn’t working for you, and you’re not having fun, you’ve got to fix it—take a mental vacation, even if you can’t take a trip to the beach.”
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When Bensimon spots this long blue gown on the sales clerk, she squeals, “That’s so hot! I must try it on immediately.” Five minutes later, Bensimon decided to purchase the outfit for her weekend trip to Miami’s Swimwear Fashion Week. “This is perfect,” she says. “Because it sort of looks like swimwear made into a dress, but with more formal touches.”
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Prancing around in the blue dress, Bensimon stops to give a quick fashion lesson. “This will be great for the parties in Miami, but I am supposed to appear on Plum TV, and this might not be right. You never want to wear anything too busy on television. But you do want to exaggerate. I styled myself for Real Housewives, and I wore some crazy things: American Apparel leggings, pink cowboy boots. I just wanted to really show women in America that you can be a working mom and still have fun with the way that you dress.”
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Rummaging through Calypso’s girly dresses, Bensimon offers this piece of wisdom: “I’m a single mom, so if I can’t go from morning to night in the same outfit, I’m in trouble. But I like a little glamour; I like to look like a girl. It’s like Michael Jackson’s song: Girls should always feel like pretty young things. God, I’m so devastated about Michael. I was actually in L.A. when it happened, getting my hair blown out. Afterward, and I was walking down the street and the paparazzi started taking my picture. I was like, why are you taking my picture? You should be over at UCLA! I’m flattered, but hello, there are way bigger things happening.”
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Bensimon reflects on how her life has changed since going on Real Housewives: “Well, the first day when all the articles started pouring in—and I read all of them, that’s the way I am. I’m not a superstar, I’m on a reality show about myself—I was blown away. The press really exploits you. That said, as a model and as an editor, I know how the engine is fueled for articles, pictures. People need content, and we are the content. At this point I don’t care what anyone says.”
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“I go straight for bracelets first in any store,” says Bensimon. “Bracelets and little jewels and baubles that you can pick up and touch. I really cannot get enough—it’s becoming a problem.”
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As Bensimon tries on a jeweled ribbon necklace inside Calypso, she talks about the public perception of her intelligence. “There is a total misconception; just because I’m really friendly, people think I’m not smart. For instance, I was really harshly criticized on the show for how often I say 'like.' But I have a friend—and this is a girl who went to Harvard—who joked that if anyone counted how many times she said 'like'—it would double me. And I have another friend, an MBA and the smartest guy I know, and he is the ultimate Valley Boy—he says 'like' every five minutes. That they picked up on that habit, and then called me vapid for saying it…it felt like they didn’t know me. How I speak has nothing to do with the way I think.”
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“I like everything in here,” Bensimon says of the shoes at Sigerson Morrison. “These platforms are on sale for $200. Men notice your shoes more than they notice what you’re wearing. Honestly, that’s what matters—neat feet, nice hands, great accessories. I was listening to the radio the other day, and a man was talking to a woman who described herself as beautiful, and he asked, ‘Are your nails clean? Did you shower this morning? Are you generally a happy person?’ Happy and hygienic, that’s what men want, ladies. You heard it first from me.”
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“The great thing about these shoes is they are really emblematic of something women would wear in Italy, you know, these great quality shoes that aren’t too expensive,” Bensimon says, zipping up a pair of sandals! “ Sex and the City was a show, just a show, and not every woman can afford that kind of footwear. These price points vary, and they actually have another line for Target that’s really easy to afford. On the show, I try not to talk about ‘fabulosity’—I think your lifestyle is much more important than the brands you wear. But hey, they edited it, and they made it look like I was telling women what was what, and what not to wear. But my roots are sporty—I go sailing and ride horses. I’m a simple girl. I am not walking around, kicking it 100 percent faaahbulous all the time. Who could live like that?”
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The store clerk yells out, “You look like a gladiator!” leading Bensimon to discuss her daily workout. “I ride horses and run. But mostly, it’s the horses. You would never guess it, but riding is really hard work for your glutes and calves.” Of the Roman sandals, she says “I would wear these with jean shorts and a distressed T-shirt, but I can’t buy them. I’m only buying shoes for my daughter Sea today—it’s her birthday soon, and they must be pink.”
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Back outside of Calypso, Kelly runs into Christiane Celle, the founder of the boutique chain. “Sava!” she hollers, getting Celle’s attention. “Bonjour Keeelly!” Celle waves back, and then stops to invite Bensimon to view her new gallery space opening up next door. Upon hearing that Bensimon was shoe shopping at Sigerson Morrison, Celle exclaims, “Do you want zee girls cellphone number who owns zee store? I have eet! Don’t take my picture—Oof, I look so bad!” She poses anyway. “What are you wearing darling? Izz so chic!”
“Oh, this is vintage Etro,” Bensimon demurs. “Christiane has the best aesthetic! And she is the mayor of downtown—she knows everyone.”
Inside Celle’s new gallery space, Bensimon pores over photographs of vintage, now-defunct New York store fronts. “Everything is closing!” she laments. “They closed the local Italian bakery, and they closed a great diner on Second Avenue. All these New York haunts where we all went are shuttering. This neighborhood, Nolita, is where I’ve lived since I moved to New York—my first apartment was on Prince and Elizabeth—and the neighborhood was completely different before. I had my kids here when there was nothing around but the grocery store. I run here, I do everything here, this is my life. Real Housewives seems intent on portraying that I live uptown—but it’s not right. Downtown a big part of who I am.”
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Entering the upscale boutique Intermix, Bensimon cannot stop pawing the clothes as she discusses her Housewives cast mates. “Honestly? We didn’t spend that much time together. And I think because I was creating my persona organically, and being real, I came across in this strange bubbly way compared to the other women. I really spent more time watching the other women and thinking, ' What is going on here?' than the edited show. The others are more drama than my 10 year old! I had no idea what was happening most of the time, and I think seeing me caught off guard made for good television. It forced the other women to define themselves against me.”
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A closeup on Kelly’s bangles from her new jewelry line. “An accessory should tell you everything you need to know about a person,” she says. “That’s what they’re for.”
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“I wore these Gryphon shorts to Kim Kardashian’s last party,” Bensimon gushes. “There are pictures, you can look them up. I really did. These are so hot, and tight, and sparkly and great…” She looks at the price tag. “Oh, and I guess, expensive. $370 for shorts. Yikes.”
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“I think a white bag is the most essential thing a woman needs for summer,” Bensimon says. “But not just any white bag—it needs to be distinctive and one-of-a-kind.”
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“Oh my god, Bradley!!!” Bensimon shrieks as we walk down the street. We have come upon her hairdresser and workout buddy, “Bradley.” “We just went on a run together at 7 this morning! People who run together stay together. I run with my stylist, and assistant, and pretty much everyone in my life.” Bradley was less amused. “I haven’t changed out of my workout clothes,” he says. “I am disgusting and need to shower. But it was a good run today—I may be purple tomorrow. But I can still do your hair from a wheelchair.”
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Bensimon thanks the proprietress of Sigerson Morrison for helping her try on shoes. “I know a lot of amazing people,” she says. “And I have to be perfectly honest with you, I don’t know how I meet them. Maybe it’s because I’m open to everyone, and you don’t have to be a superstar for me to like you. I’ve always had this saying, ‘if you’re good, you’re good.’ Those women in the shoe store…were good.”
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“I bought this miniskirt to wear this weekend in Miami,” Bensimon says. “I think I’ll wear it with a Helmut Lang T-shirt, it’s like sexy rocker chick. Clothes should look like you can just hang around in them comfortably, even if they’re sexy. I remember the designer Valentino telling me once, ‘Kelly, even in an evening gown, you always look like you’re just lazing around.’ I loved that.”
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“I just bought this belt—it’s amazing,” Bensimon says in Intermix, trying on a brown suede belt with trim. “It’s like Azzedine Alaia meets Pocahontas.” Bensimon remarks that she wears a ton of Alaia—one of Michelle Obama’s favorite designers—going all the way back to her modeling days when she developed a close relationship with the designer. “The fact that she is wearing a lot of Azzedine,” says Bensimon of Mrs. Obama. “Shows that she has perfect taste.”
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“I love these maxi dresses, I wore this dress to a party last summer—it’s from Cynthia Vincent. It’s bright and simple, and you can live in these. After working for Elle, I learned that it was vitally important to hone my voice in terms of clothes, and to always have a vision for what I want to wear. For me, it’s bohemian mixed with ultra-femme, mixed with some eclectic hard-rock elements. If I can tell American women anything, it’s to cultivate a real look for yourself, and then stay very loyal to that.”
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