Dorit Kemsley

Dorit Kemsley is an American fashion designer and television personality who gained widespread recognition after joining the main cast of the reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills during its seventh season in 2016.

Raised in Woodbridge, Connecticut, Kemsley was born to Jewish parents, Shalom and Rachel Lemel. She studied at Amity Regional High School before attending Quinnipiac University, where she earned a degree focusing on marketing, design, and communication. Following her undergraduate studies, she moved to Italy to attend the University of Florence.

Kemsley remained in Italy for a decade, working in sales and marketing for an international swimwear business. Upon returning to the United States, she launched her own New York City-based resort and swim line, Dorit International, in 2009. Later renamed Dorit Swimwear, the brand's products were sold in boutiques throughout the New York area as well as in Athens, Greece.

In 2016, Kemsley expanded her media profile by joining Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She launched a second swimwear venture, Beverly Beach by Dorit, which debuted at a Nordstrom Trunk Club event in late 2017 before its official launch in March 2018. Following a 2018 lawsuit over business funding that was resolved out of court in late 2019, the brand expanded into athletic wear, candles, and hair accessories before becoming inactive by January 2024. In late 2020, she partnered with the Australian label Nektaria to design a bridal and evening wear collection released in early 2021. She later announced a memoir titled Unburdened: Moving On, Letting Go & Putting It All on the Table, scheduled for release in June 2026.

In her personal life, Kemsley married British property developer Paul Kemsley in March 2015, and the couple had two children, Jagger and Phoenix. The couple publicly announced their separation in May 2024, and Kemsley officially filed for divorce in April 2025. In October 2021, Kemsley's residence in Encino was target to an armed home invasion in which high-value personal items, including luxury handbags, jewelry, and watches, were stolen.