Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024

Bloomberg Is All Fashion, No Faults

A fashion show might be the last place you’d think of finding a rider. But when show jumper Georgina Bloomberg was invited to be a guest on the E! Channel’s “Fashion Police,” she jumped at the chance.

Bloomberg’s publicist was friends with one of “Fashion Police’s” hosts, stylist George Kotsiopoulos, and when the weekly show decided to feature athletes in March, Bloomberg was a natural choice. The daughter of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Georgina is stylish and successful in the grand prix ring.

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A fashion show might be the last place you’d think of finding a rider. But when show jumper Georgina Bloomberg was invited to be a guest on the E! Channel’s “Fashion Police,” she jumped at the chance.

Bloomberg’s publicist was friends with one of “Fashion Police’s” hosts, stylist George Kotsiopoulos, and when the weekly show decided to feature athletes in March, Bloomberg was a natural choice. The daughter of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Georgina is stylish and successful in the grand prix ring.

“It was really cool to give the riding world some exposure on a major channel like that and in a different setting. It was a real honor to be involved in it and a real honor to be considered stylish, which was flattering,” she said. “Our sport never really gets that mainstream attention, so it was nice to be able to represent and promote equestrian life a little bit.”

Georgina taped her segment the day before the show aired on March 8 with Kotsiopoulos, comedian Joan Rivers, TV personality Kelly Osbourne and Rivers’ daughter, executive producer Melissa Rivers.

While Joan is known for her cutting remarks and brutally honest brand of humor, Georgina wasn’t intimidated. “I watch the show, and I love it,” she said. “Everybody was really nice and very funny. Joan’s a character, but for her, it’s entertaining. She’s not a mean person. George was so nice, and Kelly was so sweet. She talked with me during takes and could not have been more welcoming. She really got me through it. They made me feel very welcome.”

Georgina also had fun reconnecting with Melissa, who used to ride in the high amateur-owner division and small grand prix classes. Melissa was married to trainer John Endicott in 1998, and they had a child together before divorcing in 2003. “I used to know Melissa. It was fun to fill her in on what’s going on in the horse show world,” Georgina said.

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The 30-year-old rider taped several segments, including one where she brought a photo of her best and worst red carpet looks, but that piece didn’t air due to time restrictions. 

In the segment that did air, Georgina weighed in on “Bitch Stole My Look,” where the hosts compare two celebrities wearing the same outfit and determined who wore it better. “I’m very interested in fashion. I went to Parsons [The New School For Design (N.Y.)] for some summer courses on fashion design, and I’ve always loved [it]. If I were not a rider, I’d probably want to get into fashion design. One of the things I actually do want to do is my own fashion line for riding clothes,” she said.

She also got to promote her book series, The A-List, and talk about her charity, The Rider’s Closet, which was taken over by The Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Center two years ago. “I was keeping everything in my mother’s garage at the farm and doing everything myself, and it was difficult because I’m almost never in New York, and when I am there, I’m so busy,” she said. “When they approached me about taking it over, it was difficult for me to let go of the control because I got so much pleasure out of doing it all myself. I loved unpacking boxes and putting things together and getting the letters. But at the same time, for it to really grow in the way that it needed to grow, I needed to kind of let go a little bit.”

Georgina started riding again last summer after taking some time off due to back surgery. She’s spent the winter showing at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) with several up-and-coming horses, including Lilli, a 9-year-old German Sport Horse. “I’m just kind of working on getting myself back to the top level and also getting these horses up there as well,” she said. “[Lilli] just made the step up to the 1.50-meter level, and I think that she’ll end up being a real grand prix horse. I have some really nice young ones that are between 6 and 8 that I think in a year or two will be able to take a step up.” 

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