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A general view of atmosphere during The Real Housewives of New York Premiere Celebration at The Rainbow Room on July 12, 2023
Thanks, I Hate It

Rebecca Minkoff Joins the ‘Real Housewives’ Franchise 1 Day After Crystal Kung Minkoff Announces Her Departure

Rebecca Minkoff will be joining the cast of 'The Real Housewives of New York' and Crystal Kung Minkoff will be departing 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.' Despite sharing a surname, they are not related.
by Andrea Francese
Published on
2 min read

There are more shakeups in the world of the Real Housewives. Over the last several days, Bravo has dropped some of its key stars. Now, new housewives are being added to the roster. Rebecca Minkoff, the designer best known for her statement handbags, will join the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City for season 15. The news comes just one day after Crystal Kung Minkoff departed The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The connection stops there, though. 

Rebecca Minkoff is set to join the cast of ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ 

Rebecca Minkoff will join the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City. While it has been confirmed that Minkoff will be the newest cast member in the revamped series, it is unclear just how big her role will be. According to Deadline, Bravo has yet to announce if she’ll appear as a main cast member or be in a “friend of” position.

Rebecca Minkoff attends Glamour Women of the Year 2023 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 07, 2023 in New York City
Rebecca Minkoff | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Glamour

Regardless of her role, Minkoff will be joining a pretty fresh cast. While RHONY has been on the air since 2008, 2023 brought in all new housewives and an entirely revamped show. Minkoff will be joining an extremely accomplished cast. Sai da Silva, a content creator; Ubah Hassan, a model; Erin Lichy, a renovation and design specialist; Jenna Lyons, a fashion designer famous for her work with J. Crew; Jessel Taank, a fashion publicist; and Brynn Whitfield, a marketing consultant, all joined the cast in season 14. 

Like her future castmates, Minkoff has built a thriving business. Minkoff is best known for her accessible luxury brand, which sells footwear, handbags, apparel, and accessories. She founded the company with her brother, Uri Minkoff, in 2009 and has expanded substantially since then. 

The cast of 'The Real Housewives of New York City' Season 15 pose with Andy Cohen
Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Brynn Whitfield, Andy Cohen, Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and Jenna Lyons | Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Vox Media

News of Rebecca Minkoff’s involvement comes just one day after another Minkoff was sent packing from a separate Bravo series. On April 16, it was announced that Crystal Kung Minkoff would not return for season 14 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. While it appears Bravo made the call, Kung Minkoff seems to be fine with her departure from the series. She told fans she felt blessed each time she was asked back.

While Real Housewives fans found it odd that Rebecca Minkoff’s participation was announced the day after Crystal Kung Minkoff announced her departure, the connection seems to stop there. Despite sharing a surname, The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and the fashion designer do not appear to be related. 

Rob Minkoff and Crystal Kung Minkoff of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' pose for a photo at an event
Rob Minkoff and Crystal Kung Minkoff | Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
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Season 14 of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Will Bring Big Changes to the Cast

Minkoff is a somewhat uncommon last name in the United States. Despite that, there are still plenty of people using the surname. According to 23 and Me, over 600 people reported using the name Minkoff during the 2010 census. Still, it looks like Kung Minkoff and Minkoff are not connected via Kung Minkoff’s marriage to Rob Minkoff. 

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