Who Is Jenna Lyons' Partner? All About Cass Bird

Mar. 15, 2025

Cass Bird and Jenna Lyons in 2024.Photo:Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Jenna Lyonsand her partner, Cass Bird, areunofficially married.

In January 2025, duringThe Real Housewives of New York City’s season 15 reunion, Lyons revealed that she and Bird had an “emotional” wedding ceremony in Texas that wasn’t legal.

“We’re not in a hurry. We’re already like together so that’s the most important part,” she added.

Lyons madeher romancewith Bird known in aNew York Timesfeature published in June 2023. Over a year later, during an October 2024 appearance onSherri, she revealed that thetwo are engaged.

The reality star, who is regarded for her work in the fashion industry and rose to fame as the lead designer for J.Crew, had previously dished in April 2023 that she had a “massive crush on someone.” That someone was Bird, however, it’s unknown how the pair first met.

Since revealing Bird’s identity, the couple have goneInstagram officialand aren’t shy aboutpacking on the PDAwhile out and about in N.Y.C.

Read on to learn about Lyons' partner, Cass Bird.

She’s a California native

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Bird is a California native who was born and raised in Los Angeles, prior to moving to the east coast. She graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts in 1999 before moving to New York City, where she is now based.

She’s an acclaimed photographer and filmmaker

Jenna Lyons and Cass Bird in 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty

While at Smith College, she took a variety of art-related courses. Among them were glassblowing and photography. “I didn’t show any natural gifts for photography at the time, but I did like the mechanics of it,” she said in an interview withCommunication Arts.

“The thing that came naturally to me was the relationship,” she recalled. “I grew up in close proximity to actors, and people who are interesting subjects, and so I guess there was a familiarity or a comfort.”

Her first commercial assignments included jobs for Nike, Urban Outfitters and Converse. In 2005, her photographs began to appear in gallery shows, and soon after, appeared inBrooklyn Museum’s permanent collection.

As Bird’s art continued to amass recognition, she nabbed more editorial and commercial clients, fromThe New YorkertoVogue. “My earlier work was all about this female masculinity,” she told the outlet. “I was attracted to these women that postured or embodied masculine traits and that had a real handsome-ness or a real physical strength or an androgyny.”

She collaborates with A-list talent

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

“I had the most un-glamorous start,” Bird told young creatives during in a 2016 talk atRed Hook Labsin Brooklyn. The statement would come as a surprise to many, especially those who’ve scrolled through herInstagramfeed that features photographs of Hollywood’s biggest names.

Some of her frequent collaborators include Margot Robbie (who she’s shot forWall Street Journal Magazine), Hailey Bieber (who she’s shot forVogue Hong Kong) and Michael B. Jordan (who she’s shot forVanity Fair).

She was previously in a longterm relationship

Jenna Lyons and Cass Bird in 2023.Daniel Zuchnik/WWD via Getty

Daniel Zuchnik/WWD via Getty

Bird was formerly in a relationship with Ali Bird, her then-partner and Wall Group director who she first met in 1997. “After numerous false starts, they forged a partnership that has flourished for 14 years,” reportedVoguein 2017.

Ali toldThe Daily Front Rowabout Bird in November that year: “It was love at first sight.” The duo went on to work together, with Ali as Bird’slongtime studio manager.

Despite sharing a surname,Vogueclarified that they were not married. According to the outlet, the couple viewed it as “too easy.” In Bird’s words: “Till death do us part? Try eternity.”

“We wanted to start a family and buy a house,” Ali told the outlet. “We saved money. We did it. When gay marriage became legal, we had already made the biggest commitment.” Bird added, “It is important that we have the same dreams. What does it mean to be a good partner, a good citizen . . . two big, big things.”

Details on how their relationship ended remain unclear, though, Bird’s last appearance on Ali’s Instagram was in August 2022.

She has two kids

Taylor Hill/WireImage

Bird is the mother of two kids, who she shares with Ali. She welcomed first child, son Leo, in 2008 — and 20 months later, she welcomed daughter Mae in 2009.

She and Lyons are engaged — and unofficially married

Cass Bird and Jenna Lyons in 2024.Taylor Hill/WireImage

In September 2023, Lyons sparked engagement rumors when fans spotted a large ring onthatfinger in acozy picturealongside Bird.

“So basically, here’s the story. My girlfriend, who I adore, kept telling me that I had to button my shirt, and I said ‘If you want me to button my shirt, you have to put a ring on it,’ " the reality star toldAndy CohenonWatch What Happens Livein October 2023. “We’re just really happy and she gave me thering that I wanted.”

During an October 2024 appearance onSherrialongside her costarRacquel Chevremont, Lyons confirmed that she and Bird are engaged. While marveling at her large ring, host Sherri Shepherd asked if it was confirmed to be an engagement ring.

“Yes, yes!” Lyons replied. “When we were in the [jewelry] store, I was like, ‘That one is not big enough. Let’s [keep looking].’ "

That same month, Lyons hinted to Cohen onWatch What Happens Livethat she and Bird had already tied the knot. She later confirmed that it was an unofficial ceremony, which took place in Texas amongst close friends.

source: people.com