Jenna Lyons is one of the newly introduced cast members on The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY) season 14. RHONY might be her biggest casting on television, but it is far from being her first. Jenna Lyons, a name synonymous with fashion and design, is one of the leading names in American fashion.
At the peak of her career as the executive creative director and president of retailer J. Crew, Lyons was referred to as the “Woman Who Dresses America” by The New York Times. It’s no surprise she’s one of the fan favorites on the Real Housewives spin-off, RHONY, with her stylish fashion pieces. Here’s more on Jenna Lyons’ life, career, and net worth.
Jenna Lyons’ Growing Years
It’s easy to pick Jenna Lyons from the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City. Besides her unique geek-chic fashion, Lyons is known for her gawkiness. Interestingly, it isn’t something she picked up as an adult. Lyons was that gawky teenager who was frequently being bullied. Born Judith Agar Lyons in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 8, 1968, Lyons spent most of her growing years in Palos Verdes, California, after her parents moved when she was four. Jenna Lyons also suffered from a genetic disorder, incontinentia pigmenti. The condition affected her skin, hair, and teeth. It scarred her skin, removing patches of hair from her head and causing her teeth to be malformed, forcing her to wear veneers in tenth grade.
However, Lyons turned her attention to clothes and fashion at an early age. All of her growing experiences helped shape the woman she became. At 12, Jenna Lyons was already approaching 1.83 meters in height. With the constant bullying making her much more introverted, Lyons also had to find ways to find clothes that fit. She soon began to make her own dresses. When the hottest girl at school complimented the skirt she made, it was an eye-opener to look towards fashion.
When Lyons’ grandmother gave her a subscription to Vogue, it helped set the fashion icon on the career path for which she’s known today. Unsurprisingly, Jenna Lyons attended and graduated with a BFA from Parsons School of Design in 1990. Anyone who knows Parsons knows it’s an expensive school. Lyons wasn’t born into a wealthy family but was able to attend Parsons with the settlement money she got from a car accident.
Jenna Lyons’ Career As A Fashion Mogul
While at Parsons, Jenna Lyons interned (unpaid) with designer Donna Karan. Although it helped expose her to the world of high-end fashion, she was unable to afford their dresses, especially as an unpaid intern. After graduating from Parsons, Lyons left Donna Karan and chose to work with a more affordable fashion brand – at least one in which the people she knew could afford. This decision landed Lyons her first job as a men’s wear assistant designer at J. Crew. 13 years later, Jenna Lyons had risen to Vice President of Women’s Design. That same year, Millard Drexler, who was hired as CEO and chairman, worked closely with Lyons to triple J. Crew’s revenue to $2 billion in 2011.
A year before, Jenna Lyons had been promoted to hold two separate positions at J. Crew – President and Executive Creative Director. At the height of her career with J. Crew, the company became one of America’s high-low fashion brands. By 2013, Jenna Lyons had worked with several top personalities and celebrities. She regularly styled the Obamas, with Michelle Obama wearing J. Crew during the 2013 inauguration.
Unsurprisingly, it was the same year she was dubbed “The Woman Who Dresses America.” Jenna Lyons had also styled Beyonce. However, she exited J. Crew in 2017 after years of declining sales. With the Obamas out of the presidency, J. Crew became less popular. Jenna Lyons and then CEO and Chairman Millard Drexler decided it was time for change. Both parties have admitted Lyons’ exit was mutual. Interestingly, many fashion enthusiasts insist J. Crew has not been the same since Jenna Lyons left. Indicating she was instrumental to the success of the brand.
Jenna Lyons’ Career As A Television Personality
As President and Executive Creative Director, Jenna Lyons had spare time to venture into her other related passions. Besides fashion, Lyons has proven to have a talent as an interior designer. Her exit from J. Crew may have made her feel less popular, but her gifts and talents continued to make way for her. However, before starring in her own reality television series in 2018, Jenna Lyons made her television debut in 2014. She played the no-nonsense boss and editor, Janice, for GQ magazine. Her character was introduced in season 3 of the HBO comedy-drama Girls during a pitch meeting scene.
In 2018, it was announced Jenna Lyons would star in an unscripted reality television series about her life and career as a fashion icon and interior designer. Stylish with Jenna Lyons premiered on December 3, 2020, on HBO Max. All 8 episodes were released on the same day. In October 2022, it was announced Jenna Lyons would be part of the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City season 14.
With no old cast returning for season 14, the season is considered a reboot of the series – a first in the entire Real Housewives franchise. RHONY season 14 had a diversified cast that included Afro-Latina Sai De Silva (content creator and creative director), Ubah Hassan (Somalian model and owner of a hot sauce company), and Erin Lichy (Israeli real estate agent and home renovation and design firm owner). Others are Jessel Taank (Indian brand consultant and fashion publicist), Brynn Whitfield (brand marketing professional and bi-racial), and Jenna Lyons (co-founder and CEO of LoveSeen and proud lesbian.
Jenna Lyons’ Net Worth
Since leaving J. Crew, Jenna Lyons has had her hands busy. Besides recording success as an interior designer and continuing her career in fashion, she became a co-founder and CEO. Having dealt with incontinentia pigmenti all her life, Jenna Lyons soon realized she was the best person to launch a false eyelash beauty product. This led her to launch the brand LoveSeen. The brand has seen tremendous success since its launch, thanks to several marketing strategies.
Combining her work as a former J. Crew executive, interior designer, fashion brand owner, and television personality, Jenna Lyons has raked in significant fortune over the years. Besides her deals with HBO in her first reality TV series, Lyons reportedly received an annual salary of $1 million and a one-year salary severance pay from J. Crew. Coupled with salary and profits from the brand and her Bravo-RHONY deal, Jenna Lyons has a net worth of at least $6 million. While several online publications peg her network at $5 million, this doesn’t take into account the success of LoveSeen and her recent deal with Bravo to star on The Real Housewives of New York City. Jenna Lyons is reportedly also the wealthiest RHONY cast member.
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