{{Short description|Fashion designer}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Misha Nonoo | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Bahrain | death_date = | death_place = | citizenship = | education = ACS Cobham<br/> Guildford High School | occupation = Fashion designer | known for = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Alexander Gilkes|2012|2017|end=divorce}} * {{marriage|Mikey Hess|2019}} }} | children = 2 | relatives = Houda Nonoo (cousin) | website = }}
'''Misha Nonoo''' is a Bahraini and British fashion designer,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/fashion-designer-misha-nonoo-collaborating-duchess-sussex-meghan/story?id=67625703|title=Fashion designer Misha Nonoo on collaborating with the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle|website=ABC News|language=en|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> best known for her eponymous line of women's ready-to-wear.
== Early life == Nonoo was born in Bahrain to a Jewish father of Iraqi descent and an English mother.<ref name="Docherty">{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/the-diary/meet-misha-nonoo-the-jewish-matchmaker-who-brought-harry-and-meghan-together-1.449219|title=Meet Misha Nonoo – the Jewish 'matchmaker' who brought Harry and Meghan together|author= Doherty, Rosa|date=28 November 2017|access-date= 20 May 2018|work=The Jewish Chronicle|location= London}}</ref> Her family moved to London when she was 11, and she attended ACS Cobham School and Guildford High School in Surrey.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/when-meghan-markle-met-misha-nonoo-the-woman-who-helped-seal-the-deal-with-harry-d87q7bpzh|title=When Meghan Markle met Misha Nonoo: the woman who helped 'seal the deal' with Harry|last=McMahon|first=Barbara|date=2018-06-25|work=The Times|access-date=2018-11-04|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> During high school, Nonoo worked as a fashion model represented by Nevs Agency. She moved to New York City in 2009, and worked in menswear for a tailoring company.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/chance-encounter-helped-launch-misha-nonoos-fashion-company-65574317|title=How a chance encounter helped launch Misha Nonoo's fashion company|website=Good Morning America|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref>
== Career == In 2011, Nonoo launched her own fashion label. While working for a tailoring company in Manhattan, she designed and made women's jackets in her free time after work. Nonoo was spotted at Prune restaurant by a senior buyer from Intermix, a chain of designer fashion boutiques, wearing one of her own designs, and received a purchase order of $150,000 for her first collection.<ref name=":0" />
She was a finalist in the 2013 Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Malle |first1=Chloe |author-link=Chloe Malle |date=12 November 2013 |title=Best Dressed: CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Dinner |url=http://www.vogue.com/867036/special-edition-best-dressed-cfdavogue-fashion-fund-awards-dinner/ |access-date=28 January 2016 |website=Vogue.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/designers/g2499/misha-nonoo-clothing-designer/|title=Girl Behind the Brand: Misha Nonoo|last1=Pieri|first1=Kerry|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|date=29 January 2013|access-date=28 January 2016}}</ref> She was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Art & Style list<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30-2015/#/art-style|title=30 Under 30 - Forbes|access-date=2018-05-28}}</ref> as well as Crain's New York Business’ 40 under 40 in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/40under40/2015/Nonoo|title=Misha Nonoo - Meet Crain's New York Business Class of 2015 40 under 40|website=www.crainsnewyork.com|date=29 March 2015|access-date=2018-05-28}}</ref>
In 2015, Nonoo received media attention for producing an "insta-show" via Instagram.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/t-magazine/new-york-fashion-week-top-10-moments.html|title=Top 10 Moments from New York Fashion Week|last1=Gilchrist|first1=Malina Joseph|work=The New York Times|date=19 September 2015 |access-date=28 January 2016}}</ref> She was the first designer to produce a fashion show exclusively on Instagram for her spring collection during New York Fashion Week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2015/09/93870/misha-nonoo-insta-show|title=This Designer Showed On Instagram Today Instead Of IRL|last=Ilyashov|first=Alexandra|website=www.refinery29.com|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref>
By September 2017, Nonoo had released seasonal collections and begun manufacturing all products on-demand, claiming this reducing waste and lowered costs for her customers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/work/1128531/risking-all-her-success-a-thriving-fashion-designer-decided-to-rebuild-for-the-future/|title=Risking all her success, a thriving fashion designer decided to rebuild for the future|last=Bain|first=Marc|website=Quartz at Work|date=22 November 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/celiashatzman/2017/09/26/misha-nonoo-launches-made-to-order-clothing-for-her-fashion-line/|title=Misha Nonoo Launches Made-To-Order Clothing For Her Fashion Line|last=Shatzman|first=Celia|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref>
In 2019, Nonoo collaborated with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on a clothing collection for the women's charity group Smart Works, along with retailers John Lewis, Jigsaw and Marks and Spencer.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/09/misha-nonoo-meghan-markle-smart-set|title=Misha Nonoo On Working With Her Friend Meghan Markle, "A Very Clever Lady"|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=13 September 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5675943/misha-nonoo-meghan-markle/|title=Designer Misha Nonoo on Working with Meghan Markle|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref>
== Personal life == Nonoo married Alexander Gilkes in Venice, Italy in May 2012 with Lana Del Rey performing at the wedding.<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/sheree-hovsepian-venice-biennale-2022-interview|title=A Venetian Affair|first=Diane|last=Solway|date=1 August 2012|magazine=W|quote=And so this past May, one year after he launched Paddle8 and converted to Judaism to marry fellow Briton Misha Nonoo, 25, a rising fashion designer, Gilkes wed in grand style in Venice.}}</ref> Their divorce was finalized in the summer of 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/meghan-markle-prince-harry-matchmaker-misha-nonoo-fashion-designer-a3662846.html|title=Meet the woman rumoured to have matchmade Meghan and Harry|work=Evening Standard|access-date=2018-05-27|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Her cousin, Houda Nonoo was the Kingdom of Bahrain's ambassador to the US.<ref name=":1" />
She became engaged to Michael Hess, an heir to the Hess Oil fortune.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/who-is-david-geffen-meet-the-man-vacationing-with-oprah-katy-perry-jeff-bezos-and-lauren-sanchez-on-a4207136.html|title=Meet the man every A-lister is on vacation with this summer|date=2019-08-07|website=Evening Standard|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref> They were married in a Jewish ceremony at Villa Aurelia, Rome on 20 September 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Maitland|first=Hayley|date=September 21, 2019|title=Everything You Need To Know About Misha Nonoo's Lavish, Royal-Filled Wedding|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/misha-nonoo-wedding|access-date=2021-02-18|website=British Vogue|language=en-GB}}</ref> and held a reception at Cinecittà Film Studios. The wedding was attended by numerous royal and celebrity guests including Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Wendi Murdoch, Dasha Zhukova, Prince Harry with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Ivanka Trump, daughter of the then President of the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zapata|first=Kimberly|date=2019-09-21|title=Gayle King Radiated at the Wedding of Misha Nonoo, Meghan Markle's Friend|url=https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a29156496/misha-nonoo-wedding-guests-gayle-king-pictures/|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Oprah Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> Jason Derulo and former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney, performed at the wedding.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Misha Nonoo sat Gayle King at the head wedding table, was serenaded by Paul McCartney and Mikey Hess {{!}} {{!}} Express Digest|date=22 September 2019|url=https://expressdigest.com/misha-nonoo-sat-gayle-king-at-the-head-wedding-table-was-serenaded-by-paul-mccartney-and-mikey-hess/|access-date=2021-07-03|language=en-US}}</ref> In spring 2020, the couple welcomed their first child, a son.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meghan Markle's Friend Misha Nonoo Welcomes First Child with Husband Michael Hess: 'We Are So Excited' |url=https://people.com/royals/misha-nonoo-welcomes-first-child/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}</ref> Their daughter was born in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-03 |title=Meghan Markle's best friend Misha Nonoo details daughter Marina's difficult start to life |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/20211103125443/misha-nonoo-dramatic-birth-daughter-marina/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=HELLO! |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://mishanonoo.com/ Official website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nonoo, Misha}} Category:Living people Category:American fashion designers Category:Bahraini Jews Category:British people of Bahraini descent Category:Bahraini people of Iraqi-Jewish descent Category:1985 births Category:People educated at ACS International Schools Category:People educated at Guildford High School Category:21st-century American designers