Bravo fans were first introduced to KJ Dillard on season 10 of “Summer House,” and he instantly clicked with the Hamptons gang, bonding with Ciara Miller and newbie Mia Calabrese, who supported him as he opened up about his mental health.
Since joining “Summer House,” Dillard has seen his career take off, and his castmates have been proudly supporting him. Most recently, Dillard scored a major modeling campaign with fashion brand Kenneth Cole, and both Miller and Calabrese attended an event to celebrate his latest career move.
Ciara Miller & Mia Calabrese Are Proud Big Sisters as KJ Dillard Lands Kenneth Cole Campaign
KJ Dillard attends Bravo’s “Summer House” Season 10 at 92NY on January 28, 2026 in New York City.Fans loved seeing Ciara Miller, Mia Calabrese, and KJ Dillard’s friendships on “Summer House,” and that special relationship has continued off-camera.
On Tuesday, July 22, both Miller and Calabrese came out to support Dillard at a Kenneth Cole event in New York City, after the reality TV star became the face for the brand’s 2026 collection.
Instagram account @thebravolifestyle shared photos of the three castmates posing for photos at the event with Calabrese and Miller proudly standing beside Dillard.
Dillard first announced he was working with Kenneth Cole in June, sharing with Bravo Insider that the partnership meant more than just another modeling gig, especially as he was part of the brand’s Purposeful Voices Series, which also aligned with Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Being involved in this campaign means the world to me,” he said. “This type of career move speaks to my larger goals with my career in the entertainment industry by showing me that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.”
In an Instagram post modeling the clothes, Dillard used the campaign as an opportunity to reflect on representation and his mental health journey.
“Representation matters. So do the conversations that happen behind it. In the Purposeful Voices campaign with [Kenneth Cole], I reflect on my experience navigating life in the spotlight, becoming the first Black man on [Summer House], and the mental health challenges I’ve faced along the way,” he shared.
How Dillard’s ‘Summer House’ Castmates Rallied Around Him
Andy Cohen poses with the “Summer House” Season 10 cast.During the “Summer House” season 10 reunion, Dillard revealed that he was hospitalized for a week, and doctors diagnosed him with Borderline Personality Disorder. He shared how his castmates rallied around him during that difficult time, with Miller, Calabrese, and Carl Radke visiting him and Miller even offering him a place to stay.
Speaking about Radke’s immense support, he told People, “Carl has shown me that you can be in this field, struggle with life, and come back out on top and still struggle with things,” he said. “I love Carl to death. Like, he really is truly a brother to me. Like how I look at Mia and Ciara as my sisters, I look at Carl as my brother.”
Dillard also shared with the outlet that he wanted to return to the Hamptons as a better version of himself. “I was trying to fit this mold that I wasn’t,” he said about last summer. “Where now I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m bringing me to the Hamptons … as is.’”
Bravo confirmed that Dillard is returning for season 11. And, luckily, he’ll have his big sisters right by his side as Miller and Calabrese are also returning.
