Tinsley Mortimer

Tinsley Mortimer

Tinsley Mortimer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for the Custo Barcelona show
Born Tinsley Randolph Mercer
August 11, 1975
Nationality American
Known for Reality show High Society
Relatives George Riley Mercer II, Dale Mercer, Dabney Mercer

Tinsley Randolph Mortimer (born August 11, 1975) is an American socialite and television personality.

Early life

Mortimer was born in Virginia[1] and grew up in Richmond, VA.[2] Her father is George Riley Mercer Jr., a wealthy real-estate investor, and her mother is Dale Mercer (née Tatum), an interior designer.[3] Her paternal grandfather, George Riley Mercer Sr., founded Mercer Rug Cleansing in 1936.[4] Mortimer is reportedly a descendant of Thomas Jefferson (on her mother's side) and relatives of Patrick Henry and James Madison (on her father's side).[5] She grew up with one sister, Dabney Mercer. Mortimer attended the Lawrenceville School, where she was a member of the Kirby House. She went to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, before transferring to Columbia University,[2] where she was a member of St. Anthony Hall.[6] She graduated from Columbia with a BA in art history.

Career

Mortimer has a line of handbags and clothing in Japan for Samantha Thavasa, for which she was featured in an advertising campaign.[7][8] She also features 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 is available in select stores in Japan, including Isetan. In 2008 Mortimer became involved in branding and design for a condominium development.[9]

She made a cameo appearance on the season two premiere episode of Gossip Girl,[10] which aired September 1, 2008 on The CW. On March 10, 2010 her own reality television show created by Andrew Glassman and Mike Aho[11] for The CW called High Society, where she stars along with other socialites such as Paul Johnson Calderon and Devorah Rose, first aired. It documents the lives of her and her friends but cancelled after eight episodes.

Mortimer wrote a book titled "Southern Charm", which follows Minty Davenport from South Carolina to New York where she is the victim of rumors.[12] It was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2013.[13] Mortimer also contributed a section to the best selling book entitled The Park Avenue Diet [14] which outlined recommendations on how to perfect your conversation and social skills. The book was written by Manhattan diet doctor Stuart Fischer.

She was featured in Vestal Magazine in the May 2012 issue, which included the cover and a featured editorial styled by Lo'renzo Hill-White and shot by fashion photographer Kevin Sinclair.[15]

Personal life

Mortimer met Robert Livingston "Topper" 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.[16] The Mortimers are now divorced.[17]

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.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Heyman p. 1
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Heyman p. 4
  3. ↑ WEDDINGS; Tinsley Mercer, Topper Mortimer, New York Times, May 5, 2002. Accessed March 16, 2012.
  4. ↑ Mercerrugcleansing.com
  5. ↑ Heyman p. 2
  6. ↑ Gawker
  7. ↑ Friedman, Molly. Tinsley Mortimer Exported to Japan, New York Magazine, October 8, 2006. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  8. ↑ Brydson, Nicole. Hamptons!, The Observer, September 11, 2007. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  9. ↑ Barbanel, Josh. A Socialite Dons a New Title, The New York Times, March 23, 2008. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  10. ↑ Gossipgirlinsider.com
  11. ↑ Seidman, Robert (February 8, 2010). "The CW Announces Midseason Debuts of "High Society" and "Fly Girls"". http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  12. ↑ Tinsley Mortimer Pens Debut Novel, Women's Wear Daily, November 15, 2011. Accessed March 17, 2012.
  13. ↑ Lipton, Lauren. She's Back, Branding Irons in Hand, New York Times', March 13, 2012. Accessed March 17, 2012.
  14. ↑ The Park Avenue Diet. Hatherleigh Press 2008
  15. ↑ http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/t-vestal
  16. ↑ Konigsberg, Eric. Why Is the Blond Smiling?, The New York Times, October 21, 2007; Accessed September 27, 2009
  17. ↑ Splitsville?, New York Post, January 11, 2009. Accessed March 16, 2012.
  18. ↑ Meddling Moms Dr. Phil.com, Peteski Productions, July 23, 2009

Sources

Heyman, Marshall. Blonde Ambition: Tinsley Mortimer, Harper's BAZAAR, February 20, 2008. Accessed March 17, 2012.

External links