Shai Fruchter is a loyal friend, lover of fashion, and ready to “explore” Manhattan. The Next Gen NYC cast member is always down to hit the club, hang out with his friends, or go out to a dinner, as seen in Next Gen NYC Season 1.
In an interview with Daniel Dana shared to Instagram, Shai admitted that although he was a bit “surprised” when he got cast on Next Gen NYC, he was “so down” for it. “Why not, right?” he asked.
Since his time on Next Gen NYC, Shai has gotten closer to his castmates Riley Burruss and Ariana Biermann (more on that down below), and noted that what viewers see with the group onscreen is very similar to what happens when cameras aren’t rolling.
“I think a lot of things got aired out and then, at the same time, they kept on going when the cameras weren’t on, so that was kind of interesting,” he admitted.
Read on to learn more about Shai’s career, friendships, and life before Next Gen NYC.
What does Shai Fruchter do for a living?
Shai currently runs his own fashion brand, About Time, which launched in 2025.
Details on Shai Fruchter’s fashion brand, About Time
About Time, according to an April Instagram post, is “a clothing brand upcycling vintage fabrics into unique, one-of-a-kind pieces emphasizing individuality. A dream about mine and it’s about time.”
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The brand launched in May, with 30 one-of-a-kind dress shirts “hand made” in NYC, according to an Instagram post. About Time also sells “basics” which include a hat with a tiger embroidered on it, as well as a hoodie with a tiger on it.
Inside Shai Fruchter’s life in NYC
He’s also a man about town, according to his Instagram account, which is filled with photos of him hanging out with his friends in NYC.
Shai took to Instagram on June 5, where he posted a series of photos of him, hanging out with his friends including Riley and Georgia McCann, as well as his family members.
What was Shai Fruchter doing before Next Gen NYC?
After graduating from Tufts University, Shai was living his best life in NYC for two years before he joined the cast of the show. “I was at a job, I had a full-time job back then,” he explained to Daniel Dana.
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But Shai was also creating, even when he was still working a full time job. He took to his TikTok account in March 2024, where he showed off how he was able to make a pair of pants out of the curtains in his apartment.
He has even tried his hand at standup comedy, according to one TikTok video posted in 2023.
Shai Fruchter’s friendship with Riley Burruss and Ariana Biermann
As seen on Next Gen NYC Season 1, Shai is close with Riley and Ariana.
Shai took to his TikTok account earlier this month, where he posted a video of him dancing and laughing alongside Ariana and Riley, while they linked arms.
Riley and Shai’s friendship was also highlighted in Next Gen NYC Season 1, Episode 7, when Shai consoled Riley after an argument with Gia Giudice. The two roamed the streets, had a screaming session, and really connected with one another.
Details about Shai Fruchter’s upbringing
Shai’s past is just as interesting as his present. According to his BravoTV.com bio, Shai “has spent his whole life adapting — from growing up between Israel and China to transplanting into a suburban New Jersey high school.”
The bio continues: “Now, after a year in Manhattan’s eclectic East Village, he’s finally free to explore creativity, romance, and the endless pursuit of authenticity, but joining this circle of bold, connected, and ambitious friends might be more than he bargained for.”
Learn more about how the rest of the cast of Next Gen NYC are connected.