Yes, RHONY's Jenna Lyons Owns More Shoes Than Days in the Year
Former J. Crew creative director and president Jenna Lyons admitted it was "insane" to have so many shoes, but said they had meaning.
It was a girls’ night on the Season 14 premiere of The Real Housewives of New York City, and luckily it included, a detour into fashion icon Jenna Lyons’ spectacular shoe closet.
The former J. Crew prez invited fellow RHONY cast members Sai de Silva, Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank, Ubah Hassan, and Brynn Whitfield over for an intimate affair at her upscale Manhattan pad.
Jenna requested the ‘Wives wear black, khaki, and gold to her candlelit soiree, which came with a large cheese spread (amidst RHONY’s now-infamous “Cheese-gate”) and some sexually-charged subject matter.
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Erin was the first to arrive, getting an exclusive peek into what she called Jenna’s “infamous shoe closet,” which also serves as the background for Jenna’s onscreen interviews in the series.
Here’s what you need to know.
Jenna Lyons Owns How Many Pairs of Shoes??
Jenna owns more than 380 pairs of shoes in her closet — at least, that was the tally the last time she counted.
“It’s insane, like, I’m aware,” Jenna admitted. “I worked in fashion for 27 years. .. I collect them because they have meaning to me.”
Erin was stunned by Jenna’s “gorgeous” collection, immaculately arranged on floor-to-ceiling shelves. Hawk-eyed visitors can see an assortment of pumps and flats, with luxury designer brands including Gianvito Rossi and Chanel.
Some fans also noted Gucci, Nicholas Kirkwood, and Prada in Jenna’s ultra-glam collection.
“The last time I counted, it was 380-something, and I’ve purchased since then,” said Jenna. “But I’ve also given away … but I’ve maybe bought more.”
But in 2013, Jenna (and her shoe closet) was profiled when she was still the head at J. Crew. At the time, she had just fewer than 300 shoe pairs, admitting that was “far too many.”
Some of them, Jenna confessed, she hadn’t ever worn.
Jenna designed the shoes for the company, referring to those that didn’t work out as “ugly dollies” and those that made the cut as “shiny ponies.”
“Anyone who thinks that your shoe isn’t informative about who you are is making a mistake,” she said in the interview. “You know, a five-inch stiletto sends a very different message than beaten-up Oxfords.”
She expanded more on how shoes can make you feel.
“Shoes are like fairies, like that sort of little magical piece that finishes everything,” said Jenna. “I can throw on a silver five-inch heel pump, and all of a sudden, I feel a little prettier.”
Seeing as how former First Lady Michelle Obama wore head-to-toe J. Crew when Jenna was the brand’s creative director — as touched on in the RHONY Season 14 premiere — we can be sure Jenna knows what she’s talking about!
This wasn't our first visit to the shoe closet, though. Jenna was gracious enough to let Allure magazine in for a 2020 tour of her home, including the shoe room. The camera got closeups of some of her luxurious kicks by Tom Ford, Manolo Blahnik, and Prada.
“I know some people think, ‘Who needs that many pairs of shoes? That seems gross,’” Jenna laughed. “But they’re like stories for me, so it’s not just about owning; it’s more about collecting and curating and actually just looking at them.”
Jenna said she sorted them by color and type, with boots at the bottom and ballet flats and loafers just above those. Pumps and heels were displayed on the center shelves, while sneakers were stored at the top.
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“I try to put the sparkly ones together, all the gold ones together,” she said. “I’m a magpie. If something sparkles, I’ll buy it. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
In the RHONY Season 14 premiere, Erin and Brynn left the other ‘Wives to discuss their ongoing “Cheese-gate” dispute in Jenna’s bedroom. After quashing their beef (or cheese), the pair started to return to the group, first taking a detour to inspect Jenna’s shoe closet.
“This is like my wet dream,” Brynn told Erin.
The women tried to suppress their laughter when agreeing to wear Jenna’s shoes and clothes before heading back to the party. Things got even funnier when Erin fell through Jenna’s chair while trying to put on Barbie-pink high heels with bows and wraparound ties.
“Anyone who has seen that closet, what they’re thinking is, ‘I want to try this sh-t on,’” said Brynn. “We’re not using her toothbrush. We’re just putting on some shoes.”
See what happens as The Real Housewives of New York City continues Sundays at 9/8c on Bravo, with episodes available to stream the next day on Peacock.
