Marjorie Fischman Shushan died peacefully at home in New Orleans on October 7, 2023.
Marjorie attended the University of Pennsylvania where she met her late husband Louis G. Shushan. They married in 1950, and in 1952 they moved to New Orleans where they raised their two daughters. In the late 70’s, Marjorie moved to New York City to enthusiastically pursue her design career with an additional base in Los Angeles. In the mid 80’s, she met her dear friend and mentor, Kalef Alaton. She spent several years working with him, and in 1989 after Kalef’s passing, she opened her own design firm in New York.
For the next three decades, among her many lifetime accomplishments and honors, she was published regularly in Architectural Digest, ranking her among the World’s Top 100 Designers several times. Marjorie’s aesthetic reflects a refined uncluttered elegance, focusing on comfort and quality. In addition to interior design commissions, she created a small furniture line, imbuing her clients with a lifestyle of that certain Marjorie elan.
Defined by her unique personal flair, an incomparable eye for detail, and her dry wit, Marjorie’s countless clients, friends, and family will miss her treasured knowledge, her loyalty, and devotion. Marjorie walked through life as a quiet giver who deeply touched so many lives with her compassion and generosity. She will always be grateful to Eric Bongartz of Orient, New York and Charlie Martial of Litchfield County, Connecticut.
The family wishes to express thanks to her devoted companion, Myriam Franco. Marjorie is survived by her two daughters, Alexa Shushan and Debbie Shushan Zeligson, her granddaughter Kate Lea Zeligson, and many nieces and her nephew. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Iver Fischman, and her son-in-law Danny Zeligson.
In lieu of flowers or donations, Marjorie’s wish is for you to do something kind for someone in need.