How I Finally Found Peace

AFTER A CUSTODY BATTLE UPENDED HER LIFE, THE FORMER GOSSIP GIRL STAR IS THRIVING IN A NEW CHAPTER OF HER CAREER

- GILLIAN TELLING

When Kelly Rutherford was spotted front row at a Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture fashion show in Paris in January wearing a pink haute couture dress and chatting casually with Kylie Jenner-it almost felt like a scene from 2010, when the Gossip Girl star was a fashion-show staple. When she emerged again two weeks later at events for New York Fashion Week, plenty of people wanted to know: Is Kelly Rutherford back? Of course Rutherford, now 55, never really went away-she just had small kids to raise. After splitting from German businessman

Daniel Giersch (see box), Rutherford was initially awarded joint custody of their two small children in 2012. But Giersch's work visa was revoked, leaving him unable to return to the U.S. In 2015 the judge gave him full custody and the right to move them from California to Monaco. If Rutherford wanted to see them, it would need to be there.