Rachel Zoe Details Decision to End 26-Year Marriage to Rodger Berman: 'I Was Done'

In an interview with People, the fashion designer -- who separated from Berman in 2024 -- reflected on her decision to call it quits with Berman, admitting that she "100%" should "have done it sooner."

"I was done. I was really done," Zoe said, claiming that she and Berman had turned into different people. "I don't suffer from guilt of not having given it everything I could have. I don't suffer from that, and I don't suffer from feeling like it was a failed marriage. Having been married for 26 years, I would say that three-quarters of that was amazing."

The Zoe Project alum -- who shares Skyler, 14, and Kaius, 11, with Berman -- said she had begun to "question decisions" and her and her husband weren't on the same page "on what certain outcomes should be," citing those reasons as how she realized their marriage had started to break.

"I started to feel like this may not be the most advantageous situation for our children," she explained. "For me for the last 14 years, literally every breath I take is for my kids. So every decision I make, every lens that I look through is through a lens of my children, of what are they going to think? What are they going to say? How will this affect them? I have never felt that people should live together and stay together unhappy."

Looking back, Zoe said she believes she "100%" should have "left" her husband "sooner."

"I think if you ask any woman who has left a situation, they would probably say that they probably should have done it sooner," she told People. "But it is what it is. At the end of the day, I ultimately did what's best for the kids. I think that having two parents that love them is more important than having two parents together that maybe shouldn't be together anymore."

Zoe and Berman announced the news of their separation in September 2024 via a joint statement on Instagram.

"After 33 years together and 26 years married, Rodger and I have come to the mutual decision to end our marriage. We are incredibly proud of the loving family we have created and our countless memories together. Our number one priority has been and will always be our children," the statement read. in part.

The pair first met in 1991 when they were attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C. They tied the knot several years later and welcomed sons Skyler and Kaius.

Zoe filed for divorce in July, listing the date of separation as June 2024, according to TMZ.

When asked by People about Bermann's new relationship, including if there was any overlap, the mom of two replied, "I don't know that I can answer that really. Listen, the timeline's the timeline. And again, everything I answer is through a lens of what my children will see and hear. It is what it is. Whether or not they're together now, I don't really know. Life is wild, and I can say it takes a whole lot to really shock me."

As for where she stands with her ex now, Zoe said it "depends on the day."

"I think I need time, and I need space," she continued. "At this point in my life, I'm doing anything to protect my peace and happiness. I can say that it's been certainly the most freeing, transformative time in my life. Of course, there's brutal days. Don't get me wrong. There's hard days. But those days are usually because I'm very overwhelmed. I mom so hard, and I work so hard, and there's always been a lack of self-care and me time."

The month before she filed for divorce, Zoe announced she had joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for Season 15, which premieres next month. During her interview with People, she seemingly confirmed she'll address her divorce on the Bravo series, noting that she wants "to help as many women as possible."

"I mean, probably at least 30% of the women in my life are going through a separation or a divorce," she shared. "The question I kept getting asked and still get asked is: ‘Why am I so okay coming out of a relationship that really transcended my entire adult life?’ It's because I'm independent -- financially, professionally and socially. I think that there isn't enough emphasis put on the importance of that."

"Ironically, something came across my feed this morning with Reese Witherspoon doing an interview talking about just that: how critical it is for women to be independent," she added. "You have to have your own things to wake up for every day. I think because of that, when I made the decision to leave my marriage, it was like, okay, next. No matter what life throws at you, you have to be able to stand up on your own. You just have to."

Meanwhile, Zoe revealed she is "absolutely dating," before sharing her thoughts on what she's looking for.

"It's incredibly fun," she told People. "To be honest, that wasn't hard for me to get into. It really wasn't. I think this era for me is just freedom. Anyone who comes into my life or our lives is only going to be someone that adds value in terms of making me laugh, making me smile and really just making sense. It'll have to feel organic and natural to who I am now."