Mica Ertegun was a Romanian-American interior designer and philanthropist, widely regarded for her influential work in design and significant contributions to the arts and education.

Early life

Born in

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, Ertegun left her country after the Russian occupation, spending time in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and Paris before moving to Canada. She eventually settled in New York after marrying

Ahmet Ertegun Ahmet Ertegun (, Turkish spelling: Ahmet Ertegün; ; – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and ch ...

, the founder and chairman of

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

, in 1960.

Career

In 1967, she co-founded MAC II with decorator and author Chessy Rayner (with the MAC initials representing "Mica And Chessy"), focusing on residential and commercial projects. Ertegun's design projects have been celebrated for their elegance and sophistication, including the iconic 1969 redesign of Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship store's fifth floor.

Philanthropy

Ertegun's philanthropic efforts were numerous, with significant donations to the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

, establishing the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities. Her contributions to cultural heritage include leading donations for the restoration of the Holy Edicule at the

Church of the Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...

in Jerusalem and the creation of the Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium at Jazz at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Awards and honors

For her contributions to philanthropy, education, and British-American cultural relations, Ertegun was awarded an honorary

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017. She was a 1993 inductee in the

Interior Design Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordina ...

magazine Hall of Fame along with her MAC II founder, Rayner. In 2023, she was added to the

Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' is an American monthly magazine founded in 1920. Its principal subjects are interior design and landscaping, rather than pure external architecture. The magazine is published by Condé Nast, which also publishes internati ...

AD100 Hall of Fame.

Death

Mica Ertegun died, aged 97, at her home in Southampton, New York on December 2, 2023.

References

{{reflist 1926 births 2023 deaths Romanian emigrants to the United States American interior designers American philanthropists Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire