Bethenny Frankel Breaks Down in Tears and Defends Questionable Runway Walk at Paris Fashion Week
Bethenny Frankel‘s eyes filled with tears as she recorded a TikTok post-runway presentation for L’Oréal Paris. The Real Housewives of New York City star turned mega-successful entrepreneur was moved by the experience, but many followers were more motivated to comment about her unusual runway walk. Frankel herself acknowledged that this inclusive fashion show is “not about being perfect.” But some fans commented, “What the…” regarding her choppy and concerning walk.
After Frankel’s surprising runway walk, she concluded her evening with a ride back to her Paris hotel. As she wrapped up her first fashion show ever, the Just B With Bethenny Frankel podcast host took to TikTok to share her moment in the spotlight. Frankel wore a black one-shoulder mini-dress with pale pink satin petals covering her chest. The petals connected to silver leaves and a stem covered in crystals. Although the beautiful dress complimented the BStrong founder, Frankel’s shoes took center stage.
The 53-year-old walked the Paris runway in wildly tall platform heels. The black shoes featured a heel of at least seven inches and a simple matching ankle strap. Frankel wobbled as she walked down the runway, as she shared on TikTok. She veered off course a few times and stomped away as the crowd cheered. She had a huge smile on her face and looked radiant, but the walk wasn’t the most traditional.
Fans took to TikTok to support Frankel, while critics bashed her “awkward” and “concerning” gait. After the Skinnygirl founder posted her runway debut, she posted another video to TikTok sharing her experience behind the scenes. Frankel’s eyes filled with tears as she explained how “incredibly overwhelmed” she was. “I have never experienced something like this,” she stated. “I’ve never been given an opportunity like this that’s so unexpected. And not one person guessed it because it’s ridiculous.”
Frankel went on to thank L’Oréal Paris for “celebrating all types, all shapes, all sizes, all cultures, all women.” The mother of one explained how she got to experience this because of her TikTok followers. Four years ago, Frankel began giving her honest reviews of makeup and skincare on social media, and her following blew up. As a former Bravo star of discerning taste and income, people wanted to know what she truly recommended and what she thought was overrated.
Now, Frankel is a mega-influencer in addition to her Skinnygirl lifestyle brand, social media hosting gigs, and authorship of several books. Unafraid to share her opinion, she defended her weird runway walk. The Frankel told TikTok, “I chose those shoes. L’Oréal said you could pick anything you want, and I chose those shoes ’cause I wanted to be like a giraffe. Like elongated legs … And I loved it. And the thing is, that’s what the show is about. It’s about not being perfect. It’s about being perfectly imperfect and doing what you want to do.”
As Frankel walked the runway with Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, Cara Delevigne, Andie MacDowell, and Heidi Klum, she explained what an honor it was. “It’s so easy to sit and watch someone else do something and criticize it,” she continued. “But this is the creative and personal choice that I’m making … I posted the video ’cause I live for it. Like I look at it, and I’m like, ‘You look like a giraffe,’ but that’s what I wanted [laughs].”
