Fashion Designer Rachel Zoe Shares Her Thoughts on What Creates 'Lasting Influence' in a World of Content Creation

Hedy PhillipsTue, June 23, 2026 at 9:32 PM UTC

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Rachel Zoe speaking at Cannes LionsCredit: Courtesy of Female Quotient -

Rachel Zoe spoke on a FQ Beach at Cannes Lions panel moderated by PEOPLE President Leah Wyar

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star described what she believes creates lasting influence

Zoe also nodded to which influencer she thinks has been successful at building a brand beyond content creation

Fashion pro Rachel Zoe is sharing her thoughts on the state of influencer culture right now.

During the New Entertainment Era: Women Driving Influence panel hosted by The Female Quotient at FQ Beach at Cannes Lions in Cannes, France, on June 23, moderator Leah Wyar, president of entertainment and beauty & style at PEOPLE Inc., asked Zoe what "actually creates lasting influence" right now.

"The pendulum always swings," Zoe, 54, says of the ins and outs of influence, calling back to a time when people would make a "protein cookie with three ingredients" or share get-ready-with-me videos before finding themselves with millions of followers.

From left, Leah Wyar, Frances Berwick, Rachel Zoe, Liz Jenkins and Alison LevinCredit: Courtesy of Female Quotient

"Everyone's like, I want to do that," she says of people wanting to become influencers themselves, adding that it turned into the younger generation seeing it as a career choice, opting out of college. But that's when the pendulum swings, she says.

Now, she says, brands see how useful influencers are — but it's not "necessarily about the followers," it's who "converts the most."

"What I think again, I hate to say it, it really is staying true to who you are, standing for something, representing something," she says. "What I have really watched happen, because I really did struggle with that movement when it first came out. I was like, What is actually happening? Literally, you could just wake up and be like, I don't do anything, I barely graduated, I barely am educated, but I'm gonna, like, become [an influencer]."

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Zoe says that if you have real talent, you could see success in this field, adding that if you "stand for something really loudly," you have a strong chance of resonating with a younger audience.

The days, however, of influencers promoting a new brand "every single day," are over, according to Zoe, who has worked in several aspects of fashion, including design, styling and PR. With so much knowledge of the content creation space, now audiences know it's "not real," she says.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member says that many of the prominent fashion and beauty influencers from yesteryear have "disappeared," while those who have remained are the ones who expanded their brands to reach beyond just creating videos on one topic on one social media platform.

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Rachel Zoe speaking at Cannes LionsCredit: Courtesy of Female Quotient

She points to Tinx, whose real name is Christina Najjar, as someone who has figured out the formula. She grew her audience by giving advice to her followers and being candid about mental health but has broadened into writing books, hosting a radio show and more. To Zoe, successful influencers transcend age and audience demographics.

Also speaking on the panel were Frances Berwick, chairman of Bravo & Peacock Unscripted and NBCUniversal; Liz Jenkins, chief business officer of NBCUniversal Entertainment; and Alison Levin, president of advertising & partnerships at NBCUniversal.

on People

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