Dorit Kemsley
Birth nameDorit Lemel
Birth dateJuly 14, 1976 (age 50)
Birth placeWoodbridge, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma materQuinnipiac University (BA)
OccupationFashion designer • television personality
Years active2009–present
Known forThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
SpousePaul Kemsley (m. 2015; ended 2024)

Dorit Kemsley (née Lemel; born July 14, 1976) is an American fashion designer and television personality. She is best known as a main cast member on the reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, appearing in that capacity since the show's seventh season in 2016.[1][2]

Early life and education

She was born in Woodbridge, Connecticut, to Jewish parents Shalom and Rachel (née Benchetrit) Lemel.[3][4] She attended Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, Connecticut, and graduated from Quinnipiac University with a degree in marketing, design, and communication. She then relocated to Italy to spend time at the University of Florence.[5]

Career

After spending 10 years in Italy, working in marketing and sales for a global swimwear company, Kemsley returned to America to start her own swim and resort wear collection, launching her New York City-based swimwear label, Dorit International (later Dorit Swimwear) in 2009.[6][7][5] The line was carried at boutiques in the New York metropolitan area and Athens, Greece.[8]

Since 2016, Kemsley has been a main cast member on the Bravo reality series,The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, joining in the show's seventh season. In 2017, Kemsley announced the launch of her swimwear label Beverly Beach by Dorit, which debuted in October at Nordstrom's Trunk Club in Culver City, California,[9] however officially launched in March 2018.[10] In August 2018, the Kemsley's were sued by Ryan Horne, who claimed he lent Paul Kemsley $205,000 to front Beverly Beach, and was promised ownership of the company, but was never paid back. The parties eventually settled out of court in October of 2019.[11]

In late 2018, the label expanded to athletic wear with Beverly Beach Body, which was sold at Kitson's,[12] and fragrance with the 'Paradiso!' candle.[13] In December 2019, she introduced the Beverly Beach Holiday Hair Accessory Collection.[14] As of January 2024, Beverly Beach by Dorit is no longer active.

In November 2020, Kemsley announced she would be collaborating with Australian bridal brand Nektaria to create a line of wedding, cocktail, and evening dress.[15] The Dorit Kemsley X Nektaria line officially launched in early 2021.[16]

In August 2025, Kemsley announced her upcoming memoir Unburdened: Moving On, Letting Go & Putting It All on the Table; which is set to be released on June 2, 2026.[17][18]

Personal life

Kemsley married English property developer Paul Kemsley on March 7, 2015, at the Rainbow Room in New York City, where singer and friend Boy George performed.[19] Together, they have two children, Jagger and Phoenix Kemsley.[3]

On May 9, 2024, Dorit and Paul Kemsley announced their separation after nine years of marriage.[20] In April 2025, Kemsley filed for divorce from her husband, citing irreconcilable differences.[21]

Home invasion and robbery

On October 27, 2021, at approximately 10:52 p.m., while Kemsley was home alone with her children, and her husband was on a business trip in London, three masked men broke into the Kemsleys' Encino home, confronted her at gun-point, and demanded she tell them where the family's valuables were. The men proceeded to ransack the home of handbags, jewelry, and watches, all of which valued at $1 million. No arrests have ever been made.[22][23][24][25]

Filmography

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2016–presentThe Real Housewives of Beverly HillsHerselfMain Cast (Season 7–present); 194 episodes
2020Celebrity Family FeudEpisode: "Andy Cohen vs. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Kevin Nealon vs. Drew Carey"
2020Celebrity Show-OffContestant; Episode: "Diplo, Aim High"
2021The PrinceDorit KemsleyVoice; Episode: "Beverly Hills"

References

  1. ^ "Who Is Dorit Kemsley? Everything You Need to Know About the New Beverly Hills Housewife". Bravo. 2016-11-01. Archived 2016-11-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
  2. ^ "How Dorit Kemsley Became the Vintage Style Star of the Real Housewives". Vogue. 2021-06-09. Archived 2021-06-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  3. ^ "'RHOBH' Star Dorit Kemsley Explains Her Accent... And Casually Mentions How Many Languages She Speaks — VIDEO". Bustle. February 9, 2017. Archived 2021-08-29 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  4. ^ "New 'Real Housewife' is from Connecticut". 3 November 2016. Archived 28 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  5. ^ Davis, Dominic-Madori (December 11, 2020). "'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star Dorit Kemsley shares the advice that powers her career". Business Insider. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  6. ^ "The Stylish Adventures of Dorit Kemsley – BELLA Magazine". Archived 2021-09-14 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  7. ^ "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week : DORIT". Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami. July 23, 2012. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  8. ^ "Stores and Locations". Dorit International Swimwear. Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  9. ^ Rosenfeld, Laura (October 24, 2017). "Dorit Kemsley Just Did Something She Hasn't Done in 5 Years". Bravo. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  10. ^ Chapin, Adele (March 1, 2018). "Dorit Kemsley's Swimwear Line Launches Today and It's Surprisingly Affordable". Bravo. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  11. ^ Dupre, Elyse (October 15, 2019). "Real Housewives' Dorit Kemsley and PK Look Forward to Next Chapter After Settling Lawsuits". E! Online. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  12. ^ Berg, Jenny (November 29, 2018). "NBD: Dorit Kemsley Just Designed Her First Store Window *and* Dropped an Athleisure Line". Bravo. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  13. ^ Chapin, Adele (December 10, 2018). "Dorit Kemsley Wants Your Home to Smell like a Beverly Beach Paradise". Bravo. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  14. ^ Washington, Zoey (December 16, 2019). "Dorit Kemsley Just Dropped a Beverly Beach Holiday Hair Accessory Collection". Bravo. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  15. ^ "Dorit Kemsley Announces Plans to Launch a Bridal Fashion Line". Bravo. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  16. ^ "See Dorit Kemsley's Stunning New Bridal Collection With Nektaria". Bravo. February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  17. ^ Espinoza, Joshua (August 2, 2025). "Dorit Kemsley Is Releasing a Memoir: "This Book Is the Full Story"". Bravo. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  18. ^ Kemsley, Dorit (June 2, 2026). "Unburdened". Podium Entertainment. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  19. ^ "A Twenties-Inspired Wedding at the Rainbow Room in New York City". Wedding Style Magazine. April 18, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  20. ^ Kang, Esther (May 9, 2024). "RHOBH's Dorit Kemsley and Husband Paul 'PK' Kemsley Announce Their Separation After 9 Years of Marriage". People. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  21. ^ Kang, Esther (April 25, 2025). "RHOBH's Dorit Kemsley Files for Divorce from Husband PK Kemsley After 10 Years of Marriage". People. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  22. ^ "'Real Housewives' star Dorit Kemsley's husband gives update after home invasion, robbery". FoxNews.com. October 27, 2021. Archived October 29, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  23. ^ "'This is how I'm going to die': Dorit Kemsley sheds light on L.A. follow-home robberies". Los Angeles Times. 2022-05-11. Archived 2022-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  24. ^ Stone, Alex & Messer, Lesley (October 29, 2021). "'Real Housewives' stars break silence about terrifying home invasion". ABC News. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  25. ^ "Dorit Kemsley Says Robbers Who Invaded Her Home Are Still at Large: 'I'll Get Through It'". Peoplemag. Archived 2022-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-08-15.