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'RHONY Reboot': Who is Jessel Taank? First Indian on the franchise handles publicity for HBO Max, UGG, and Kendra Scott

Jessel Taank's uncles provided her access to the fashion world, even though she was an inexperienced Indian girl from London

CHELSEA, NEW YORK CITY: The network welcomed some fresh faces to the series as several Real Housewives said goodbye to the New York City version. As the old cast members of 'The Real Housewives of New York' were sacked, Jessel Taank and a new group of females joined the show.

The all-new ensemble of women for the rebooted 'RHONY' has the Bravo-sphere whirling. Andy Cohen stunned viewers in 2022 when he stated that the ladies of New York City will be divided into two separate shows. First, the current cast of 'RHONY' would be sacked and the program would be totally replaced with a cohort of brand new Housewives. The legends from the previous cast would then be chosen to appear on a new show, 'The Real Housewives of New York: Legacy'.

Andy told Page Six in October 2022 that he wanted the new 'RHONY' cast to be "representative of the city" and "[expand] beyond the Upper East Side." Days later, Bravo confirmed the cast of the revamped 'RHONY,' which includes Brynn Whitfield, Sai De Silva, Lizzy Savetsky, Jenna Lyons, Erin Lichy, Ubah Hassan, and Jessel. Jessel will be the first Indian woman in the Housewives franchise! Here's more about Jessel and her family.

Who is Jessel Taank?

Jessel is a fashion publicist and brand consultant located in New York who is recognized for thinking outside the box and putting innovative touches on otherwise typical PR tactics, all the while questioning the industry's status quo. Jessel, a graduate of London's prestigious Kings College with a degree in English and Journalism, grew up surrounded by the influences of her grandfather's bespoke tailoring business and her mother's passion for art and design, inspiring her to pursue a career in fashion soon after graduation. According to her LinkedIn profile, after graduating from King's College London, she worked in public relations for fashion firms such as Michael Kors and Karla Otto.

Jessel has shaped the growth paths of several iconic brands in the industry, working for Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney, Conde Nast International, Celine, Michael Kors, and Westfield, where she led the strategic direction of thirty-three commercial retail properties and led partnerships with the likes of KKW Beauty, Nordstrom, Kylie Cosmetics, Business of Fashion, and Eataly. Jessel presently runs The Know, a boutique agency that specializes in counseling freshly-founded businesses. She is also working on the development of her own e-commerce portal to make South East Asian fashion more accessible. She is about to launch Oushq, an e-commerce portal with ready-to-ship Indian designer apparel for the US market. She is a strong supporter of Citta, an organization formed by artist and anthropologist Michael Daube that empowers girls and young women in India via education, community service, and traditional craft.

Jessel and her 'Indian roots'

Jessel, who was born into an immigrant family in London, England, was brought up in a close-knit but rigid Indian family. She had always wanted to pursue the American Dream, and she had intended to do it in New York. She eventually followed in their footsteps to start her career in the world's fashion capital after being inspired by the drive and ambition of her uncles, Max and Nitin Vadukul, who abandoned the prospect of their arranged marriages to pursue successful careers as photographers in Manhattan, both breaking ground in the exclusive and rare fields of fashion and editorial photography as lensmen of Indian descent. Uncle Max was the first photographer to be hired by The New Yorker, and Uncle Nitin photographed Jay Z, Eminem, Barack Obama, and the Dalai Lama. During this period, it was uncommon to see artists of Indian heritage.

Jessel met her husband, a banker called Pavit Randhawa, in a Lower East Side pub, where they were introduced by a mutual friend. They didn't fall in love right away, and they were close friends for years before they started dating seriously. In 2014, they married in Mexico. Jessel and Pavit live in Chelsea with their sons, Kai and Rio. In another 5 years, Jessel Taank sees herself running an e-commerce empire, maybe as a mother of three, and continuing to embrace and share her world with others.

Why did Jessel feel it was vital to promote her culture on the show? Because representation is important! She believes India is making significant ripples in mainstream media and that the rest of the world is taking notice. "To be the first Indian on such a beloved franchise means unraveling a cultural fabric that has been largely untapped. How I was brought up, what I eat, how we raise our children, what we wear, and how I am influenced by Indian music and film. All these things make up the DNA of who I am and what I can share."

Jessel's family immigrated to London from Kenya as part of the enormous diaspora that relocated because of political upheaval. They were compelled to flee and restart their lives. They couldn't afford an education and had to enter the workforce right away to make ends meet. Jessel and her brother are first-generation British-born Indians, and she says, "Although we had a supportive and extensive extended family unit, watching our parents work relentlessly to give us everything they didn’t have was humbling and inspiring."

'The Real Housewives of New York City' Season 14 premiere will air on July 16 at 9 PM ET on Bravo.