The latest season of Real Housewives of New York is officially 11 episodes in, and it seems like each housewife is finally finding their place in the group. TBH, Jenna Lyons low key seems like the group's unofficial leader. With her successful career and social capital, it makes sense the other women want to stay on her good side.
Jenna has made it clear that she's "not like the other housewives," but that hasn't stopped the Manhattan socialite from getting caught up in her fair share of drah-ma. At 55, Jenna is the oldest housewife and she has a really interesting backstory. And of course, she pulls off her scenes with a classic, mysterious vibe, leaving everyone wanting more.
In episode 6, the former J. Crew exec talks about her interior design dreams, and her work with friend-turned-client, actress Emily Hampshire. While a romance fizzled with Emily, the RHONY star recently revealed she may have a ring on her finger from her current girlfriend?!
If you've heard Jenna's name before and are wracking your brain trying to remember, "who is Jenna Lyons, again?" you're definitely not alone. Here’s everything you need to know about her, and her (potential) engagement news:
Who is she dating now?
Jenna and Crangi eventually split, and the Housewife is now reportedly seeing photographer Cass Bird. However, when the other cast members asked her to spill the deets on her relationship during episode 2, she made it clear that she wants to keep her current relationship out of the spotlight.
During episode 6, Jenna also shares that she met Canadian actress Emily Hampshire (of Schitt's Creek fame) when they were set up on a date. But things never really took off. “We didn’t have a love connection, but we had a friend connection,” Jenna explained, per Bravo.
Yup, instead of falling in love, the two fell into friendship. Jenna was quickly recruited to help on an interior design project for Emily's home, and the two have been supporting each other ever since.
Are Jenna Lyons and Cass Bird engaged?
Alert the group chats! Some major news could be about to break in the RHONY community. On September 23, 2023, Jenna Lyons shared an Instagram photo with her girlfriend, sporting a huge diamond ring.
"I’ll take the French fries and steak au poivre 💖Paris," the RHONY star wrote in the caption. While Jenna didn't acknowledge her rock, many of her friends—including fellow RHONY cast members—seemingly celebrated in the comments.
"Mazel Tov! 👏👏👏👏," wrote BRAVO personality Andy Cohen. RHONY co-star Erin Dana Lichy also celebrated. "Lovers in Paris 😍😍😍 so happy for you both ❤️❤️❤️," she wrote.
While nothing is official quite yet (neither have confirmed the news), I don't see any other reason for the celebrations in the comments and Jenna's mega-big ring. Only time will tell. My apologies to Brynn Whitfield! Hopefully fans will get to see the entire engagement pan out in the next RHONY season.
What is Jenna Lyons' job?
This Housewife has been a big figure in the fashion world since way back in 2010, when she was named executive creative director and president of J.Crew. She held the position until 2017, popularizing the high-low style and daytime sequins, and making J.Crew a little more hip, per The New York Times.
Jenna left the public eye for a bit, then reemerged to host a design competition show on Max in 2020 before disappearing again. It wasn’t until someone suggested she take a spot on The Real Housewives of New York in 2022 that she decided to head back into the limelight, the Times says.
On episode 6, she shares more about her journey into interior design. “I renovated a brownstone, and ironically, I got more attention for that than I did in my career in fashion,” Jenna said on the show.
She's starred in reality shows before.
Yup. If you're wondering how Jenna seems so natural in front of the camera, it might have something to do with her experience. In 2020, Jenna starred in Stylish with Jenna Lyons on Max.
The show was a bit different than RHONY, and consisted of stylists competing through challenges that Jenna judged. Nevertheless, it must've prepared her for her housewife role. Or, perhaps it was her brief guest star role in Girls.
She talks about her incontinentia pigmenti on the show.
During episode 2, Jenna briefly opens up to the other women about her genetic disorder, called incontinentia pigmenti, which causes skin scarring. The condition, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, can also lead to hair loss and small or missing teeth, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Jenna shared on The View in July that the condition has led to hair loss. “All my teeth are fake. I paid a lot of money for them,” she said. “My hair is also fake. I can take it off. It’s like a hat. It’s not a wig. My eyelashes are fake. I have no eyebrows, and I also have scars all over my skin.”
Who is her ex-husband?
Jenna Lyons’ ex-husband is Vincent Mazeau, an artist who started an art direction company with friends. Vincent has worked as an artistic director and set designer, according to People.
He was a stay-at-home dad when the couple split, per People. Their divorce was messy, according to Page Six. Jenna started seeing Courtney Crangi, who was described as “the business brains behind her brother, hip celebrity jeweler Philip Crangi." Apparently, Jenna and Vincent also sparred over finances.
Jenna Lyons and Courtney Crangi attend the 2017 Turtle Ball at The Bowery Hotel on April 17, 2017 in New York City.
What’s Jenna’s net worth?
It’s not entirely clear. Online sources put her at around $5 million, but it could be higher. It is clear that she owns a house in the Hamptons, and lives in a beautiful loft apartment in the trendy SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan, so she probably is doing quite well for herself. Jenna bought the loft in 2013 for $6 million, per Curbed. Oh, and she also told Architectural Digest that her fave bedsheets cost over $1,100, so there's that.
You'll have to stay tuned for more as Jenna's life is revealed on the RHONY season 14 reboot.
Korin Miller
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
