Designer Michael Fausto Spills on the Real Housewives' "Unapologetically Decadent" Style
The creative behind some of your favorite RHOM and RHONJ looks shares his best tips for Bravo fans looking to step up their style.
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The women of The Real Housewives are fabulous at a baseline, but when it comes time to pull together an unforgettable 'fit for episodic interviews or a reunion, they turn to the most trusted professionals.
Fashion designer Michael Fausto, who has created a few of your favorite on-screen looks for Marysol Patton of The Real Housewives of Miami and Jackie Goldschneider of The Real Housewives of New Jersey knows a thing or two about creating looks just as dramatic as our favorite episodes. In fact, there's a solid chance some of his designs are already sprinkled across your mood boards. Michael recently spoke to The Daily Dish to discuss Housewives style and how Bravoholics can step their own wardrobes up.
Michael is a New York City-based designer who caught Jackie's eye when she discovered his work in a New Jersey magazine. The Garden State mom of four wore a stunning custom Michael Fausto design as a Season 11 interview look. Soon after, the designer met Marysol at a Miami boutique's trunk show where she was coincidentally wearing one of his dresses. Since then, he's established a collaborative relationship with these stylish Bravolebs. (And teases that there's much more to come.)
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Michael noted that while he has plenty of clients who come to him with specific inspiration for custom pieces they’d like to wear to weddings, charity events, and other special occasions, creating for the ‘Wives is a totally different ballgame.
“Working with a Housewife, it comes from a place of, ‘What statement are we making with this? How can it be dramatic and impactful, but also not make me cartoonish?” he explained. “With Marysol, specifically, she loves the high fashion, the avant-garde aspect of it, but also still needs to come off put-together and glamorous.”
Marysol Patton's Season 6 fashion
Statement-making is exactly what Marysol's Season 6 looks did. Her red velvet corset top interview look and caged-corset reunion dress were designed with the intention to be companion pieces. Michael explained that the designs pull from "Catholic vestments" and sights seen during the cast's iconic trip to Mexico City.
"You can walk into any [Catholic] church and some of them are grand and beautiful, but they're white marble with gilded gold filigree. And then some other churches, you walk in and they have the plush velvet seats and it's a little more decadent," Michael said. "One is a lighter, more ethereal look and the other is more sumptuous, more decadent."
Fans react to Housewives' style
Designing for the 'Wives puts Michael in the unique position for his work to be critiqued by a wide range of audiences. There’s a delicate balance between statement-making and high-fashion when creating something that will be seen by the fashion industry and Bravo fans alike.
“I grew up watching Bravo,” he said, adding that his first foray into the Bravo universe was Season 1 of The Real Housewives of Orange County, which he watched with his mom as a middle schooler.
“Before I was designing these confessional looks, I would always go on social media and see what people are thinking about what someone was wearing. But getting there myself? It’s really exciting,” he said. “I love the bad comments. I love the good comments. I’m like, at least it’s a comment. The thing you don’t want is when there’s no commentary at all about the confessional look or the reunion look. You want something that elicits a reaction, at least.”
When fans react positively to Michael's designs, he'll occasionally make them available for purchase in his online shop. Viewers who want to channel their inner Bravoleb can purchase the red velvet bustier from Marysol's Season 6 interview and the pink satin top Jackie wore throughout Season 11.
How to achieve RHOM-inspired style
When asked to describe the style of the RHOM cast, two words came to mind for Michael: “Unapologetically decadent.”
“It doesn’t ever veer into the tacky or garish area. It still has a refined approach to it, but it’s enjoyable,” he said. “I think that these women just enjoy the fantasy aspect of it... But it’s also grounded in reality, because these women are in like, 80, 90 degree days, and they need to be able to function.”
If you’re looking to channel some RHOM style, regardless of your locale, Michael has some advice: “Find how to pair interesting pieces with basics in your wardrobe. If you have a fabulous tailored blazer, maybe you add a beautiful gilded brooch to it. Lean into the colorful, tropical prints. Lean into the fun of it.”
To stock up on a few bold accessories that will elevate your wardrobe, shop the collection, below. Think: statement designer sunglasses with a tropical print, colorful purses adorned with feathers, and striking hair accessories for anyone who wants to sport a crown on a regular basis. Basically, the kinds of items that will have strangers stopping you to shower you in compliments as you go about your day.
