Robert Verdi
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Robert Verdi (born August 28, 1968 in Maplewood, New Jersey) is an American TV personality and style expert. He is most noted for hosting a variety of TV programs featuring fashion and interior design.
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[edit] Early life
Robert was born and raised in suburban New Jersey. His mother, a Portuguese immigrant, was a skilled dressmaker, and his father was a chef. As a teenager, Robert began designing and making jewelry. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and began selling his jewelry in several New York department stores including Barney’s, Bloomingdales, Bendel’s and Bergdorf Goodman.
[edit] Career
In the early 90’s, Robert redirected his pursuits towards a career in television. Troubled by the fact that the fashion reporter on Gay Entertainment Television was a straight woman, Robert contacted the network, which led to his first job in television.
A 1998 article in The New York Times is quoted as saying about Robert, “In the style universe, where fashion, decorating and the media are usually on different planets, Mr. Verdi travels comfortably between them. He is a jack-of-all-trades in a world where good taste and an instinct for the Now can be a passport across boundaries.” Robert’s notoriety as a style expert led him to work with many celebrities. He planned the 1996 wedding of fashion designer Cynthia Rowley to sculptor Bill Keenan. He also designed the New York apartments of Sandra Bernhard, Hugh Jackman, Mariska Hargitay and Bobby Flay.
In 2000, Robert co-created and co-hosted Full Frontal Fashion on the now-defunct network Metro TV. The show was the first of its kind to air complete coverage of runway fashion shows, bringing the exclusive events into American living rooms.
In 2002, Robert began co-hosting Surprise by Design. In the show, Robert or his co-host, Rebecca Cole, would redesign a room or exterior space at someone’s home in order to surprise a loved one. The homeowner would assist in the re-design, which would happen on a $2,500 budget, in one day, typically while their loved one was away at work. The show became the Discovery Channel’s highest rated daytime show.
Robert also hosts Fashion Police on the Style Network, a weekly series about celebrity fashion. He is frequently a guest on a variety of talk and news programs such as The View, Regis & Kelly, The Today Show and VH1’s The Fabulous Life Of. Additionally, Robert is a stylist for Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, and has designed 2 of her Los Angeles, California homes. He was the designer for her July 7, 2007 wedding in Paris, France to basketball star Tony Parker.
In 2008, Robert appears as a celebrity judge on the TV Land series, "She's Got the Look" where women over 35 compete for a modeling contract and magazine spread.
[edit] References
- Rohrlich, Marianne "His Job Title is Elusive, But His Taste is Impeccable", The New York Times, March 15, 1998
