Dorinda Medley
Born in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, Dorinda graduated from college and arrived in New York City, working in the showrooms of Liz Claiborne. She met her first husband and followed him to London to start a family and eventually her own cashmere company, DCL Cashmere. Many high-profile London clients like Princess Diana and Joan Collins became acquaintances, and soon, Dorinda left her mark on London society. Ten years in London also brought her a daughter, Hannah, a divorce, and a wish to return to New York to figure out life in the city as a single mom. In 2005, Dorinda met and married financier Dr.Read More
Born in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, Dorinda graduated from college and arrived in New York City, working in the showrooms of Liz Claiborne. She met her first husband and followed him to London to start a family and eventually her own cashmere company, DCL Cashmere. Many high-profile London clients like Princess Diana and Joan Collins became acquaintances, and soon, Dorinda left her mark on London society. Ten years in London also brought her a daughter, Hannah, a divorce, and a wish to return to New York to figure out life in the city as a single mom. In 2005, Dorinda met and married financier Dr. Richard Medley, a former Washington power broker and respected speechwriter to congresswoman and vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, and together they worked on fund-raising for charitable causes with the likes of Bishop Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Secretary Madeline Albright, and President Bill and Secretary Hillary Clinton.
After the tragic loss of their beloved Richard in 2011, Dorinda and Hannah found strength in each other and in their loved ones to overcome the radical changes of losing a husband, friend, companion, and father figure. Through perseverance and support from her close friends, Dorinda climbed right back to the top of New York society, eventually meeting boyfriend John Mahdessian, owner of New York's legendary couture restoration house Madame Paulette. Dorinda is always directing her energy and focus into her home, family and friends, church, social engagements, and love for pop culture. In 2019, Dorinda reignited her passion for teaching aerobics, creating and touring with her interactive workout class Dorobics to great success. She continuously gives back to her favorite charitable organizations like Ali Forney Center, Born This Way Foundation, Prevention, Joy.J Initiative, Ronald McDonald House, NYLovesKids.org and Gabrielle's Angel Foundation.
Dorinda's passion for entertaining was deeply enhanced with the purchase of Blue Stone Manor, a nine-bedroom Stanford White estate in her native Great Barrington. With a recent flood at the estate, Dorinda was forced to renovate and restore the historic property to get it back to its former glory. Nothing gives Dorinda more pleasure than a weekend or holiday spent with great company, home-cooked meals, and the festive, personal touches she is known for. She enjoys the theater, the beach, the mountains, fabulous parties, a great dirty martini, and all types of fashion—both high-end and high-street—and considers all of her pieces collector's items. After a trying year, Dorinda has learned to love herself and focuses on her spiritual and mental wellness daily. There's never enough glitz, glam, and sparkle for this true New York City Housewife.
