Debra Reiss, Heir to British Jewish Fashion Brand, Dies at 34
Debra Reiss, heir to the eponymous British fashion brand, has died after reportedly suffering from a long-term illness. She was pregnant with her second child, according to
The 34-year-old worked in her family’s clothing company, Reiss, as brand director in Los Angeles.
She is survived by her partner, Zane Williams, and their first daughter, Scarlett, born last year.
Her father, Jewish entrepreneur David Reiss, 72, took over the business from his father in 1971. Now, Reiss designs can be found in New York’s Bloomingdales and 14 other countries. In August Reiss announced they will open their first Australian store in Melbourne in 2016.
Reiss received a tremendous boost in sales and interest due to their most high-profile client, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. She wore a £159 Reiss dress for her official engagement photo with Prince William in 2010, and a £220 Reiss dress during her meeting with Barack and Michelle Obama a year later.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!