Tinsley Mortimer

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Tinsley Mortimer
Mortimer in 2007
Born
Tinsley Randolph Mercer

(1975-08-11) August 11, 1975 (age 48)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Alma materColumbia University (BA)
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (MA)
Occupation(s)Actress, fashion designer
socialite
television personality
blogger
Known forHigh Society
The Real Housewives of New York City
Spouses
Robert Livingston Mortimer
​
​
(m. 2002; div. 2010)​
Robert Bovard
​
(m. 2023)​
Parent(s)George Riley Mercer, Jr.
Dale Tatum

Tinsley Randolph Mortimer (née Mercer; born August 11, 1975)[1][2] is an American socialite and television personality. She is known for starring in the reality television series High Society and The Real Housewives of New York City.

Early life[edit]

Mortimer was born Tinsley Randolph Mercer in Richmond, Virginia.[3][4][5] Her father was George Riley Mercer Jr., a real-estate investor, and her mother is Dale Tatum Mercer, an interior designer and socialite.[3] She has a younger sister, Dabney Winston Mercer.[6] Her paternal grandfather, George Riley Mercer Sr., founded Mercer Rug Cleansing in 1936.[7] Mortimer is descended from multiple First Families of Virginia.[8] She grew up at Graymont, her family's estate in Richmond.[9]

Mortimer attended St. Catherine's School, a private all-girls Episcopal school in Richmond, and later the Lawrenceville School, a boarding school in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where she was a member of the Kirby House.[10] Mortimer was a debutante, having been presented to Richmond society during the Bal du Bois at the Country Club of Virginia.[11][12]

She went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a freshman in college, but later transferred to Columbia University. At Columbia, she was a member of St. Anthony Hall.[13][14] She was also a nationally ranked tennis player and played varsity tennis for Columbia.[15][11][16] She graduated from Columbia with a bachelor of arts degree in art history, and later obtained her master's degree in decorative arts from the Cooper Hewitt design museum.[17]

Career[edit]

Early in her career, Mortimer worked as a beauty assistant at Vogue and an event planner for Harrison & Shriftman.[18] Mortimer had a line of handbags and clothing in Japan for Samantha Thavasa, for which she was featured in an advertising campaign.[19][20][21] Her handbag line, "Samantha Thavasa by Tinsley Mortimer", debuted in winter 2006 with its American flagship store in New York City.[22] She was also featured prominently in Samantha Thavasa USA's online promotional materials and in the company's Madison Avenue store, which also carries her handbags. She subsequently formed her own clothing line, Riccime by Tinsley Mortimer, which was sold exclusively in Japan.[23] In 2008, Mortimer became involved in branding and design for a condominium development.[24]

Mortimer has served as Christian Dior’s beauty ambassador and helped to create a lip gloss named Tinsley Pink.[25] She has appeared in several magazine editorials, including Vogue, WWD, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire.[23] In May 2012, she appeared on the cover of Vestal magazine, which also featured an editorial styled by Lo'renzo Hill-White and shot by fashion photographer Kevin Sinclair.[26][27] She has appeared on the magazine covers of Page Six Magazine,[28] Virginia Living, Avenue,[29] CVLUX,[30] Maniac,[31] and New York.[32]

She made a cameo on the season two premiere episode of Gossip Girl, which aired on September 1, 2008, on The CW.[33] In an interview for Vanity Fair, Gossip Girl's costume designers Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack considered New York socialites Tinsley Mortimer and Arden Wohl as a muse when dressing actress Blake Lively and when asked if they were influenced by New York socialites, respectively.[34] Daman and Markworth-Pollack said that "if you put Blair and Serena together, you get Tinsley Mortimer. Tinsley’s hair is always set and she always looks perfect, but she takes risks."[34] On March 10, 2010, Mortimer debuted her own reality television show called High Society, starring Mortimer along with other socialites such as Paul Johnson Calderon and Devorah Rose.[35] The show documented the lives of Mortimer and her friends in New York City, but it was critically panned and cancelled after 8 episodes because of low ratings. The failure of the show was credited with causing Mortimer's subsequent "downfall" as a New York socialite.[36]

Mortimer wrote a novel titled Southern Charm, which follows Minty Davenport from South Carolina to New York, where she is the victim of rumors.[37] It was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2013.[38] Mortimer also wrote chapter in the book The Park Avenue Diet, which outlines recommendations on improving one's conversation and social skills, written by Manhattan diet doctor Stuart Fischer.[39] She has been a contributor for Town & Country magazine since 2017.[40] In 2017, Mortimer joined the cast of Bravo's reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City for the show's ninth season.[41]

In 2014, she launched Home Collection manufactured by Pop Culture Living, an e-commerce site featuring curated collections of home accessories.[42] She currently has her own line of housewares products sold at Bed Bath & Beyond and Wayfair.[43] The collection includes dinnerware, decorative glasses, barware and ice buckets.[43] In June 2019, Mortimer launched a new collaboration of false eyelashes with the beauty brand Winky Lux titled "XXO Tinsley for Winky Lux."[44] She designed the product packaging herself.[45] In September 2019, Mortimer walked the runway for Garo Sparo's fashion show at New York Fashion Week.[46] In October 2019, Mortimer announced that she has partnered up with RuMe to launch a Resort 2020 Collection, which consists of travel, fashion, and beauty accessories.[47][48][49]

List of fashion and beauty collections by Tinsley Mortimer
Year Title Brand Notes
2006–2012 "Samantha Thavasa by Tinsley Mortimer"[50] Samantha Thavasa Handbag collection[51][52]
2007–2010 "Riccime by Tinsley Mortimer" Riccime Clothing line[53]
2014 "Tinsley Mortimer Collection" Pop Culture Living Home goods line
2019 "XXO Tinsley for Winky Lux" Winky Lux Eyelashes line
2019 "Tinsley by RuMe" RuMe[54] Bag and accessories line[55]
2021 "Tinsley x Jennifer Zeuner"[56] Jennifer Zeuner Jewelry[57] Jewelry collection[58]

Advocacy[edit]

In July 2020, Mortimer appeared in a pro-adoption billboard "Buy Shoes, Not Dogs" for PETA.[59] The billboard was located in Chicago, Illinois, and Mortimer also appeared in a video, where she encouraged people to adopt dogs from shelters.[60] Mortimer has adopted her two dogs called Strawberry and Shortcake.[59]

Personal life[edit]

Mortimer met Robert Livingston "Topper" Mortimer (son of John Jay Mortimer) at Lawrenceville School and eloped when they were both 18. However, their parents forced them to annul the marriage. On May 4, 2002, they remarried in Richmond, Virginia.[61] The Mortimers divorced in 2010. Her ex-husband married British fashion designer Tabitha Simmons in 2018.[62]

On July 23, 2010, Mortimer was featured with her mother Dale on the Dr. Phil show discussing her divorce and her differences with her mother.[63]

Her father died on March 26, 2015, in Providence, Rhode Island.[64]

On February 11, 2017, Mortimer was introduced to Chicago-based Coupon Cabin CEO Scott Kluth by her Real Housewives of New York City castmate Carole Radziwill.[65] The pair then entered an on-and-off long distance relationship between New York and Chicago, and as of October 2018, the couple had separated.[66] Mortimer and Kluth were engaged in November 2019 and ended their engagement in March 2021.[67][68]

In November 2023, Mortimer married businessman Robert Bovard. [69][70]

Legal issues[edit]

In April 2016, Mortimer was arrested for trespassing on her former boyfriend Alexander "Nico" Fanjul’s property in Palm Beach, Florida.[71][72] The charges were later dismissed.[73]

Filmography[edit]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Manny Herself Uncredited
2008 Gossip Girl Episodes: "The Serena Also Rises", "Summer, Kind of Wonderful"
2009–2011 The Fashion Show Herself / Judge 16 episodes
2010 Dr. Phil Herself Episode: "Meddling Moms"
2010 America's Next Top Model Episode: "New York Women"
2010 High Society Main role, creator and executive producer; 8 episodes
2017–2020 The Real Housewives of New York City Main cast member (seasons 9–12); 75 episodes
2019 The Other Two Episode: "Chase Goes to a Premiere"
2023 Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl Hulu original documentary[74]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020. ...Tinsley Mortimer was born on August 11, 1976.
  2. ^ Lipton, Lauren (March 13, 2012). "She's Back, Branding Irons in Hand". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2020. Ms. Mortimer, 35 [as of March 13, 2012]...
  3. ^ a b "Weddings; Tinsley Mercer, Topper Mortimer". The New York Times. May 5, 2002.
  4. ^ Smith, Ray A. (February 27, 2010). "Tinsley's Turbulent Year". The Wall Street Journal.(subscription required)
  5. ^ Morgan, Spencer (August 12, 2009). "Tinz & Topp in Tears". New York. Archived from the original on November 4, 2019. ...a Virginia-born debutante.... The story of Tinsley Randolph Mercer begins in Richmond, Virginia...
  6. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Is Here to Remind You She Was on a Reality Show Before RHONY". Bravo. July 13, 2019.
  7. ^ "About". Mercer Rug Cleansing. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010.
  8. ^ "Obit". richmond.com. March 29, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Konigsberg, Eric (October 21, 2007). "Why Is the Blond Smiling? (Published 2007)". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  10. ^ Richmond.com, Jennifer Pullinger (April 30, 2012). "Richmond Native, NYC Socialite Tinsley Mortimer Releases Debut Novel". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
  11. ^ a b "Tinsley Mortimer Rebrands Her Socialite Status". DuJour. October 20, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  12. ^ CRITIC, MELISSA RUGGIERI MUSIC (March 4, 2010). "Tinsley Mortimer shows how reality can bite in 'High Society'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  13. ^ "Attention, Tinsley Mortimer: Your Frat Is Looking For You". Gawker. March 10, 2008. Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  14. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer: Talk of the Town". CVLUX Magazine. November 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  15. ^ "Columbia Daily Spectator 20 September 1996 — Columbia Spectator". spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  16. ^ Times-Dispatch, BILL McKELWAY Richmond (July 21, 2006). "From the RTD Archives: Richmond socialites' father loses when gossip turns to blood sport". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  17. ^ Troy Patterson (March 10, 2010). "High Society: Tinsley Mortimer's new reality show is like a hideously deformed Edith Wharton story". Slate.com. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  18. ^ "The Dramatic Life Story Of The Newest "RHONY" Star". Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  19. ^ Friedman, Molly. Tinsley Mortimer Exported to Japan, New York Magazine, October 8, 2006. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  20. ^ Brydson, Nicole. Hamptons!, The Observer, September 11, 2007. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  21. ^ Staff, W. W. D. (November 6, 2006). "Samantha Thavasa, the Brand, Hits N.Y." WWD. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  22. ^ "CVLUX Magazine | #LUXlife — Talk Of The Town: Tinsley Mortimer's Storage & Home Collection". CVLUX Magazine | #LUXlife. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  23. ^ a b "About Tinsley – Tinsley Mortimer". www.tinsleymortimer.com. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  24. ^ Barbanel, Josh. A Socialite Dons a New Title, The New York Times, March 23, 2008. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  25. ^ "The Dramatic Life Story Of The Newest "RHONY" Star". Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  26. ^ "Socialite-Turned-Model Editorials t vestal". TrendHunter.com.
  27. ^ FashionModelDirectory.com, The FMD-. "Cover of Vestal Magazine with Tinsley Mortimer, June 2012 (ID:13756)| Magazines | The FMD". The FMD - FashionModelDirectory.com. Retrieved April 21, 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  28. ^ Moe (March 31, 2008). "Tinsley Mortimer...why is she famous again? Besides the rough business of consuming and burning calo". Jezebel. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  29. ^ FashionModelDirectory.com, The FMD-. "Cover of Avenue with Tinsley Mortimer, March 2009 (ID:6755)| Magazines | The FMD". The FMD - FashionModelDirectory.com. Retrieved April 21, 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  30. ^ "Talk Of The Town: Tinsley Mortimer's Bar Collection". CVLUX. November 2, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  31. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer our Cover Girl". April Hubal Photography. June 17, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  32. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer - New York Magazine Cover Girl". Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  33. ^ "Beauty Tips From a Real Life Gossip Girl". Cosmopolitan. April 6, 2009.
  34. ^ a b "Welcome Back, Gossip Girl | VF Daily | Vanity Fair". Vanity Fair. March 1, 2011. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  35. ^ Seidman, Robert (February 8, 2010). "The CW Announces Midseason Debuts of "High Society" and "Fly Girls"". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  36. ^ Sam Dangremond, Bennett Marcus (March 2016). "Inside the Downfall of Tinsley Mortimer". Town & Country Magazine. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  37. ^ Tinsley Mortimer Pens Debut Novel, Women's Wear Daily, November 15, 2011. Accessed March 17, 2012.
  38. ^ Lipton, Lauren. She's Back, Branding Irons in Hand, New York Times', March 13, 2012. Accessed March 17, 2012.
  39. ^ "New Uptown and Downtown Diet Plans Make Great His and Hers Treats". The Cut. March 31, 2008.
  40. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Contributor". Town & Country. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  41. ^ "How Will Tinsley Mortimer Fit into a New Season of RHONY — and Which Housewife Is She Replacing?". PEOPLE.com.
  42. ^ "E-commerce venture Pop Culture Living launches | Home Accents Today". www.homeaccentstoday.com. December 3, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  43. ^ a b "Licensed Products | Tinsley Mortimer". www.tinsleymortimer.com. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  44. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer's New Beauty Collaboration Winks at Her Famous RHONY Tagline". Bravo. June 13, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  45. ^ McCarthy, Lauren (June 12, 2019). "Tinsley Mortimer Bats Her Lashes at Her Beauty Mogul Future". W. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  46. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Hit the Catwalk as a Cosmic Queen in Garo Sparo's Fashion Show". Bravo. September 11, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  47. ^ "Brighten your day. Be Eco-Friendly. Shop RuMe". MyRuMe.com. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  48. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Launched a Fashion Project Inspired by Her Dogs". Bravo. October 7, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  49. ^ "@tinsleymortimer on Instagram: "It's here! The Tinsley by RuMe Resort 2020 collection has officially launched! 🌴💕Always on the go like me? These bags will fit all your…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  50. ^ Samantha Thavasa by Tinsley Mortimer: Bags Inspired by Blake Lively + Sienna Miller | FashionTV, retrieved January 27, 2023
  51. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Explains the Japanese Handbag Market". The Cut. May 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  52. ^ Fabulous, Ms. "Tinsley Mortimer's Socialite Style - Samantha Thavasa Handbags Fall 2010". Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  53. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer at the Milly by Michelle Smith Spring 2011 Fashion Show". Livingly. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  54. ^ Rekstis, Emily (November 18, 2019). "Tinsley Mortimer's Packing Secret Weapon Is Perfect for Holiday Travel". Us Weekly. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  55. ^ "Tinsley by RuMe". Chelsea Du Bois Portfolio. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  56. ^ "j e n n i f e r z e u n e r on Instagram: "MDW is here!! Perfect time to shop our tinsley x #jenniferzeuner collab and save 20% off your entire purchase ☀️ code: MD20"". Instagram. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  57. ^ "tinsleymortimer on Instagram: "Hey fam! I'm sooo excited to officially share that my jewelry collection with @jenniferzeunerjewelry is now LIVE to shop! 🛍 I've been working on this collection with the Jennifer Zeuner team for over a year and can't believe it's officially launching today! For years you have asked about my hoops and now I have a collection for you all! I'm obsessed with all three styles of hoops! I love my necklaces and anklet too! Please check them out and if you have any questions drop them below and I can help! Link in bio to shop! XXO TINSLEY 💖💖💖"". Instagram. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  58. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer's Latest Venture Answers a Question Fans Have Been Asking "for Years"". Bravo TV Official Site. May 24, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  59. ^ a b "Tinsley Mortimer Appears on New PETA Billboard: 'Buy Shoes, Not Dogs'". PETA. July 30, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  60. ^ "Bravo TV's Tinsley Mortimer Promotes Dog Adoption". PETA. April 23, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  61. ^ Konigsberg, Eric. Why Is the Blond Smiling?, The New York Times, October 21, 2007; Accessed September 27, 2009
  62. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer's Ex-Husband Topper Mortimer Got Remarried: See Inside the High-Fashion Wedding". Bravo TV Official Site. June 12, 2018.
  63. ^ Meddling Moms Dr. Phil.com, Peteski Productions, July 23, 2009
  64. ^ Mercer, George, Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 29, 2015. Accessed 2017.
  65. ^ "RHONY's Tinsley Mortimer Still Dating Coupon Cabin CEO Scott Kluth: 'We're Almost Soul Mates'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  66. ^ Corinthios, Aurelie (October 24, 2017). "RHONY's Tinsley Mortimer Reportedly Splits from CouponCabin CEO Scott Kluth". People. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  67. ^ Swartz, Tracy (November 25, 2019). "CouponCabin CEO, 'Real Housewives' star get engaged in Chicago". The Chicago Tribune.
  68. ^ Guglielmi, Jodi (March 18, 2021). "Tinsley Mortimer and Scott Kluth End Engagement: 'An Incredibly Difficult Decision,' He Says". People.
  69. ^ Weaver, Emily (November 13, 2023). "Who Is Tinsley Mortimer's Husband? All About Robert Bovard". People Magazine.
  70. ^ Hasan, Sadiba (November 24, 2023). "A New York City Socialite Returns to Her Southern Roots". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  71. ^ Staff reports (March 14, 2017). "Tinsley Mortimer, former Richmonder & NYC socialite, on 'Real Housewives of New York'". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
  72. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Looks Ahead". Harper's BAZAAR. September 22, 2016.
  73. ^ "Tinsley Mortimer Finalizes Deal with Ex to Have Case Dismissed After Trespassing Arrest: 'She Can Finally Move On with Her Life,' Source Says". People.
  74. ^ Vognar, Chris (May 17, 2023). "The Secret Life of Paris Hilton and Tinsley Mortimer's Gossip Blogger". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 29, 2023.

External links[edit]

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