It was always the hats. Or the oversized sunglasses. Or the way Rodger Berman would stand slightly to the left in every paparazzi shot, looking like the only person who could actually keep Rachel Zoe grounded while she was hyperventilating over a vintage Chanel cape.
For 33 years, they were the "it" couple that actually made it. Until they didn't.
When the news hit in September 2024 that the pair was splitting, it felt like a glitch in the celebrity matrix. This wasn't a whirlwind Vegas marriage or a PR stunt. They met as college students at George Washington University in 1991. They grew up together. They built an empire while the rest of us were still figuring out how to use a Blackberry. Honestly, seeing them apart feels a bit like finding out the sun decided to stop orbiting the earth.
The Breakup No One Saw Coming (But Maybe We Should Have)
In July 2025, Rachel officially filed the paperwork in Los Angeles. She cited "irreconcilable differences," which is the Hollywood standard for "we just can't do this anymore." But as the details have trickled out—especially with Rachel joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—it’s clear the "slow fizzle" started long before the Instagram announcement.
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Rachel recently got incredibly candid about the whole thing. She told People that she "100% should have left sooner." That’s a heavy thing to say after 26 years of marriage.
"I was done. I was really done," she admitted.
She described a situation where she was living in a constant state of anxiety, always having her "shields up." It’s a side of their relationship we never saw on The Rachel Zoe Project. Back then, Rodger was the patient "VP of everything," the guy who would calm her down when a red-carpet dress didn't arrive on time. But behind the scenes, the lines between their business and their bedsheets had blurred until there was no space left for just... them.
Business, Babies, and the "Death by a Thousand Cuts"
Why did it fall apart? It wasn't some scandalous affair or a "smoking gun" moment. It was more like "death by a thousand cuts."
They shared everything.
- Rachel Zoe, Inc.: Rodger served as co-CEO.
- CURATEUR: Their luxury lifestyle membership.
- Rachel Zoe Ventures: Their venture capital fund.
- The Kids: Skyler (now 14) and Kaius (now 11).
When your business partner is also the person you're supposed to unplug with at night, where does the work end? Insiders have suggested that mixing their personal and professional lives became a weight they couldn't carry anymore. By the summer of 2024, Rachel was spending her time in the Hamptons while Rodger was largely absent. They realized they were simply better apart.
Then things got messy.
In late 2025, Rachel didn't hold back on RHOBH. She slammed Rodger for being "indiscreet" after he was photographed with a new girlfriend, Bree Jacoby, just months after the separation. The kicker? Apparently, their sons didn't know about the relationship yet. Rachel’s reaction was pure, unfiltered mom-rage: "Use your f---ing head."
The Truth About the "Timeline"
There’s been a lot of chatter about when exactly Rodger started dating again. Rachel hinted on the show that he might have been with his current girlfriend for a year, despite only being separated for a fraction of that time.
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"I'll let you do the math," she told a producer.
It’s a classic Hollywood "he said, she said," but for Rachel, the focus has shifted entirely to her independence. She’s leaning into her "freedom era." She's dating, she's filming, and she's reclaiming her maiden name. For a woman whose identity was so tied to her husband’s support for three decades, seeing her stand on her own is, frankly, pretty refreshing.
What This Means for the Zoe-Berman Empire
They still work together. Or at least, they're trying to. Their joint statement insisted they remain committed to their shared businesses. Whether that’s actually sustainable when you're arguing about "indiscreet" paparazzi photos is another story.
What's clear is that the 2026 version of Rachel Zoe isn't the one we knew in 2008. She’s tougher. She’s "compartmentalizing" the pain and moving forward. She’s even showing off a massive "divorce ring" to signify her new chapter.
Life After Rodger: Lessons for the Rest of Us
Watching a 33-year relationship end is a reality check. It proves that:
- Longevity doesn't always equal success. A 26-year marriage that ends isn't a "failure" if most of it was amazing, but staying in it when it's broken is.
- Financial independence is a safety net. Rachel credits her ability to leave to the fact that she is "financially, professionally, and socially" independent.
- The kids are the compass. Every decision Rachel makes now is through the lens of what Skyler and Kaius will think.
If you're going through a similar "major life reset," the best thing you can do is take a page out of the new Rachel Zoe playbook. Protect your peace. Be okay with being "done." And maybe, if you're feeling fancy, get yourself a really big ring to mark the occasion.
To keep up with how the divorce settlement is impacting their various fashion brands, you should check out the latest business filings for Rachel Zoe, Inc., as the restructuring of their joint ventures is expected to be finalized by the end of this fiscal year.