Mica Ertegun was a Romanian-American interior designer and philanthropist.

Early life

Mica Ertegun, born Ioana Maria Banu on October 21, 1926, in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

, Romania, was the only child of Natalia Gologan and Gheorghe Banu, a prominent figure in

King Carol II Carol II (4 April 1953) was King of Romania from 8 June 1930, until his forced abdication on 6 September 1940. As the eldest son of King Ferdinand I, he became crown prince upon the death of his grand-uncle, King Carol I, in 1914. He was the f ...

’s cabinet and an ally of King Michael I during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Amid Allied air raids, Mica was sent to the family’s country estate. Following the 1948 abdication of King Michael and her father's imprisonment by the

Communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...

, Mica and her husband, Stefan Grecianu, an aristocrat 15 years older, fled Romania, traveling via stateless refugee passports to

Zurich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

. Initially penniless, they were supported by friends, staying at the

Dolder Grand The Dolder Grand (formerly known as Grand Hotel Dolder) is a luxury hotel in the Swiss city of Zurich. It is located on Adlisberg hill, some from, and above, the city centre. Built in 1899, the hotel spreads out over and offers 173 rooms and s ...

hotel and later moving to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, where Mica worked as a model. Eventually, they relocated to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, where Mica spent eight years working on a farm. In the late 1950s, Mica traveled to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to meet a diplomat in hopes of securing her father's release. Though unsuccessful, she met the recently divorced

Ahmet Ertegun Ahmet Ertegun ( ; , ; July 31, 1923 – 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 championed many lead ...

, the co-founder 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 the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

, at a dinner. The two were married in 1961 after Mica obtained a divorce from Grecianu.

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 included the 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 The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, 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, also known as the Church of the Resurrection, is a fourth-century church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem. The church is the seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchat ...

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 ...

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

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 valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two 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. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

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

Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' (stylized in all caps) 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 ...

'' AD100 Hall of Fame.

Death

Mica Ertegun died, aged 97, at her home in

Southampton, New York Southampton, officially the Town of Southampton, is a town in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town had a population of 69,036. Southampton is included in the stre ...

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