Orianne Cevey is a Swiss jewelry designer, businesswoman, and charity founder. She became known around the world through her marriage to British singer Phil Collins. Her life also includes business, design, motherhood, charity work, and a major health recovery.

She built a career before her name became part of celebrity news. She worked in communications, started her own company, and moved into luxury jewelry. She helped young people through the Little Dreams Foundation.

Her private life brought heavy media attention. She married Collins, divorced him, and reunited with him years later. Their second split led to a court fight over a home in Miami.

Quick Bio

Early Life and Education

She was born on March 24, 1974, in Nyon, Switzerland. Her father was Swiss, and her mother was Thai. These family roots exposed her to two cultures from an early age.

She had an interest in art and design, but she chose business for her studies. She earned a master’s degree in International Management. The course gave her skills in planning, finance, and business work.

After university, she worked in marketing and communications. She held a job with a venture capital company. In 1994, she started O Com SA, an events and communications business in Switzerland.

The company gave her direct business experience. She handled events, clients, and public work. Those skills helped her when she built a name in jewelry and charity.

How Did Orianne Cevey Meet Phil Collins?

Orianne Cevey met Phil Collins in Switzerland in 1994. Collins was there for music work. She helped him as a translator and guide during his visit.

The two began a relationship soon after. Collins was already famous through Genesis and his solo music. This brought strong press interest to the couple.

They married in Lausanne, Switzerland, in July 1999. The wedding drew many guests and wide media coverage. It marked the start of their married family life.

Their age gap and Collins’ fame kept the couple in the press. Cevey kept links to business and charity work. She did not enter the music industry herself.

Marriage, Children and First Divorce

The couple had two sons. Nic Collins was born in 2001. Mathew Collins was born in 2004.

The family lived in Switzerland for part of the marriage. Collins had strong ties to the country at that time. He and his wife worked together on charity projects.

The marriage ended after several years. They separated in 2006, and the divorce was completed in 2008. British reports said the settlement was about £25 million.

The figure made news across Britain and Europe. Reports called it one of the largest celebrity divorce settlements in Britain at the time. The pair still shared duties as parents to their two sons.

Why Did She and Phil Collins Reunite?

After the divorce, Cevey married investment banker Charles Fouad Mejjati. They had a son named Andrea. That marriage later ended.

Cevey and Collins stayed in contact because of their two sons. By early 2016, they had confirmed that they were together again. They shared a home in Miami, Florida.

Collins said they had missed each other. He said they felt their first split had been a mistake. Their reunion lasted for several years.

The relationship ended again in 2020. The second split soon became more public than the first. A fight over their Miami home then moved into court.

Orianne Cevey Jewelry Career

Design became a large part of Cevey’s work. She founded OC Jewellery in 2007. The brand focused on luxury jewelry and custom pieces.

Her designs used precious stones, bold shapes, and fine craft. Her Swiss and Thai roots influenced parts of her style. She drew ideas from travel, nature, and art.

She expanded the brand in the United States. A concept store opened in Miami in 2017. A larger OC Jewellery and Spa site opened in the Miami Design District in 2018.

The jewelry business gave Cevey a career away from celebrity news. It joined her interest in design with her business training. The brand became one of the clearest parts of her work.

Little Dreams Foundation and Charity Work

Cevey and Phil Collins created the Little Dreams Foundation in 2000. The charity supports young people with talent in music, sport, and art. It focuses on children who need more help to grow their skills.

The foundation gives young people access to teachers, coaches, and mentors. It can help with training and other forms of support. Collins and Cevey stayed linked to the charity after their first divorce.

Their work gave young people a chance to build their talent. Music was a major part of the project. Sport and art were important parts too.

Cevey then started work linked to spinal injury support. This came after her own health crisis. Her recovery became the main reason behind the Never Give Up Foundation.

What Happened After Her Spinal Surgery?

Cevey faced a serious health crisis in 2014. She had neck surgery after an injury. The operation was followed by severe problems with movement.

She spent months in hospital and rehab. Reports said she faced paralysis and needed intense physical therapy. She worked for a long time to regain movement.

Her recovery became an important part of her public story. Professional profiles said she climbed the Breithorn in Switzerland. The experience led her to support people with spinal injuries.

She used the phrase “Never Give Up” for this work. The idea came from her own rehab. It focused on hope, care, and support for people facing serious spinal problems.

The Miami Home Court Case

Her relationship with Collins ended again in 2020. That year, she married businessman Thomas Bates in Las Vegas. Bates then moved into the Miami home where she had been living.

Collins owned the company that held the property. A court case began over access to the home and control of the site. The dispute drew wide press coverage.

Cevey argued that she had a right to half of the home’s value. Her claim was worth about $20 million. A judge dismissed the case in 2022.

The judge pointed to failures to follow court orders. The decision ended her claim to part of the property value. The case had lasted for almost two years.

Orianne Cevey and Her Three Sons

Cevey is the mother of three sons. Nic and Mathew are her sons with Phil Collins. Andrea is her son from her marriage to Charles Fouad Mejjati.

Nic Collins became a drummer. He played with his father during the Not Dead Yet Tour. He also joined Genesis for the band’s final tour.

Nic built a career of his own in music. He has worked with other bands and artists. His work follows the musical path of his famous father.

Mathew Collins chose football. In 2026, TSV 1860 Munich announced that he had joined the club. He had played for teams in Germany and Austria before that move.

Marriage to Thomas Bates

Cevey married Thomas Bates in Las Vegas in August 2020. The marriage happened near the end of her second relationship with Collins. It soon became part of the public story around their split.

Bates moved into the Miami home with her. That move became part of the property fight with Collins. The case placed all three names in major news reports.

The marriage between Cevey and Bates did not last. In December 2021, she said she had filed for divorce. Their split drew more media attention.

She had been married twice before Bates. Her first husband was Phil Collins. She then married Charles Fouad Mejjati after her first divorce from Collins.

Orianne Cevey Auctions and Personal Collection

Orianne Cevey sold part of her personal collection through Kodner Galleries in February 2021. The sale included jewelry, clothes, records, awards, and other items. It raised more than $2 million.

Some money from selected pieces went to charity. The auction drew extra interest because some items were linked to Phil Collins. This included music awards and records.

Another large auction took place in December 2023. It included jewelry, fashion items, furniture, and a Yamaha piano linked to Collins. Many luxury goods were part of the sale.

The auction house said a large share of the money would support the Never Give Up Foundation. Her charity work had grown from her own health experience. The sale linked her luxury collection with that cause.

Business Life Beyond Phil Collins

Cevey had a business career before she became known as a celebrity spouse. She started O Com SA in Switzerland in 1994. She then moved into jewelry and retail work.

Her work covered events, communications, design, and sales. These projects gave her a public identity outside her marriage. They also helped her build links in Switzerland and the United States.

Jewelry became her most visible business field. OC Jewellery gave her a way to combine art and business. Her stores also placed the brand in Miami’s luxury market.

The media often focused on her private life. Yet her business history is a clear part of her record. It began before her marriage and continued after her first divorce.

Final Thoughts on Orianne Cevey

Orianne Cevey is best known as the former wife of Phil Collins. Yet her life includes much more than one famous marriage. She built businesses, designed jewelry, raised three sons, and worked with charities.

Her story includes a difficult health crisis too. She spent months in treatment after neck surgery. She then worked to regain movement.

That experience shaped her work for people with spinal injuries. Her earlier charity work focused on young talent. Both causes became important parts of her public life.

Her divorce, reunion with Collins, and Miami court case gained wide attention. Still, her verified story is broader than those headlines. Business, family, design, and charity have all played major parts in her life.

FAQs

Who is Orianne Cevey?

Orianne Cevey is a Swiss jewelry designer, businesswoman, and philanthropist. She is best known as the former wife of Phil Collins. She also founded OC Jewellery and helped create the Little Dreams Foundation.

How did she meet Phil Collins?

She met Phil Collins in Switzerland in 1994. She worked as a translator and guide during his visit. They began a relationship and married in Lausanne in 1999.

How many children does she have?

She has three sons. Nic Collins and Mathew Collins are her sons with Phil Collins. Andrea is her son from her marriage to Charles Fouad Mejjati.

What happened after her neck surgery?

She faced severe movement problems after surgery in 2014. She spent months in hospital and physical therapy. She regained movement and returned to a more active life.

How much was her divorce settlement from Phil Collins?

Major British reports said the 2008 settlement was about £25 million. It drew wide media attention at the time. Reports called it one of Britain’s largest celebrity divorce settlements of that period.