Shirley Ritts (October 28, 1920 – February 24, 2008) was an Americaninterior designer whose company helped to popularizerattan furniture in the United States during the1950s and1960s.^[1] Ritts was the mother ofphotographer andmusic video director,Herb Ritts (August 13, 1952 – December 26, 2002).^[1][2]

Shirley Ritts (Roos) was born inBaltimore, Maryland on October 28, 1920.^[1] Her father, Martin Roos, was anophthalmologist and she had two sisters. Ritts was raised Jewish.^[1] She married her husband Herb Ritts, Sr. in 1950, who happened to own a furniture company at the time.^[1]

TheRitts Company benefited from the popularity ofrattan furniture during thepost-World War II era.^[1] Herb Ritts acted as the company's furniture designer, and Shirley was in charge of sales and marketing.^[1] The couple had four children whom they raised in a 27-room,Spanish-style house inBrentwood, California.^[1] Ritts assisted with the set design onElvis Presley's 1961 filmBlue Hawaii, in which she used rattan furniture andPolynesian design.^[1] Ritts often traveled extensively once her company introduced a line ofhigh-endLucite furniture.^[1][3][4]

Ritts was married three times, and had five children. Her first husband was Leo Arthur Herringman (1916–1991), and they had one daughter Susan Herringman Ritts who was later adopted by Herb Ritts Sr. Her third husband was Herb Ritts Sr., and they had 4 children; Herb Ritts, Rory Ritts, Gary Ritts, and Christina Ritts. Ritts and her husband Herb divorced during the late 1970s.^[1] They remarried in the 1990s.^[1] She was also known for introducingCindy Crawford andRichard Gere to each other.^[5] Shirley Ritts died ofemphysema at her home in Brentwood, California on February 24, 2008 at the age of 87.^[1]

In the first installment ofLethal Weapon film series, the Ritts Co. store can be seen from a rooftop whereMel Gibson's characterMartin Riggs is trying to subdue a suspect.

• "Vintage Rattan Set – a Tiki – Tastic Addition to the Hacienda." Retro Road Map with Mod Betty (features photographs of Ritts Co. Rattan furniture.)
• " A 1970s Astrolite Lucite Fish by Shirley Ritts."