Robert Verdi

Early life

Verdi was born and raised in suburban

In the early 1990s, Verdi redirected his pursuits towards a career in television. Troubled by the fact that the fashion reporter on Gay Entertainment Television was a straight woman, Verdi contacted the network, which led to his first job in television.

A 1998 article in The New York Times is quoted as saying about Verdi, “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.” Verdi has worked 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, Verdi 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.

In 2002, Verdi began co-hosting Surprise by Design. On the show, Verdi 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.

Verdi hosted