Fashion Designer’s Wedding Drama
A prominent cashmere designer called off her high-profile wedding to a tech CEO just weeks before the ceremony upon discovering his Adderall addiction through suspicious charges on their shared bank account.
Negarin Sadr, 37, and Matthew Sornson, 36, had planned a lavish event in Mallorca, Spain, for 200 guests in September 2023. Forty-four days prior, Sadr spotted irregular transactions, prompting joint therapy sessions that uncovered Sornson’s severe dependency on the stimulant.
Intervention and Path to Recovery
Sadr organized an intervention with Sornson’s family and close friends, leading him to postpone the wedding. He relocated to his parents’ home in Brighton, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, to prioritize sobriety. Sornson also sold his data startup, Clearbit, which he founded in 2015, as stress from the venture exacerbated his struggles.
The couple nearly parted ways but reconciled after Sadr became pregnant with their daughter in October 2023. Their 21-month-old daughter, Artie, later served as flower girl at their celebrations.
Long-Awaited Union
Sornson and Sadr legalized their marriage at Brooklyn Borough Hall on May 5. They marked the occasion with a traditional Persian ceremony on March 15 at the luxurious LeCrans Hotel and Spa in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, officiated by Sadr’s mother.
“We were in a room full of people that helped us get through it, and that was quite emotional,” Sornson said. “I think a lot of what I learned in recovery is the more you talk about your shame, the less powerful it is. So much of addiction is about hiding parts of yourself. And so I’m trying really hard to not hide myself.”
Sadr emphasized commitment beyond romance. “Love is never enough to make a marriage last,” she stated. “The only reason we came together and it worked is because Matt was very committed to make this relationship and his sobriety work.”
Sornson marks three years of sobriety this October.
Relationship Timeline and Careers
The pair first crossed paths at a San Francisco party in November 2019 hosted by Sornson. They reconnected via Bumble in February 2021, enjoying their first date soon after. Their relationship solidified during a May 2021 trip to Mexico, followed by a move to New York City that October. Sornson proposed in Copenhagen in August 2022.
Born in Iran and raised in Maryland, Sadr founded the cashmere brand Negarin London, recently rebranded as Garin. Sornson now leads education startup Legend.org and serves as CEO and co-founder of New York-based Something New, launched this January.
