by Think of Jackie Kennedy and there are probably two images that come to mind. One, who was the first prim woman in the early 1960s with a wardrobe full of neat Chanel-esque skirt suits and pillbox hats. The second woman might be the same woman from her “Jackie O” era – all oversized sunglasses, effortless New York street style and loose party dresses.
The extraordinary life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is reflected in her clothes. There was always a “Jackie” thread running through all of her style choices – from those she made as a socialite in training on the East Coast, to her time as the wife of the president of the United States, John F Kennedy, to the later years as a shipping lady. magnate Aristotle Onassis and then as a book editor and political campaigner. However, the style icon still had some distinct fashion chapters.
And if one item encapsulates her move from former first lady to polished international star, it has to be the Valentino couture wedding dress she wore for her wedding to Onassis in October 1968. For the ceremony, which took place on Island of Greece Skorpios,. Jackie commissioned an above-the-knee dress that couldn’t be more different from the gown she wore for her first wedding to JFK in 1953.
“Yes Jackie [second] It was a cutting-edge wedding dress at the time,” asserts Marissa Speer, head of US sales for luxury handbags and fashion at Bonhams auction house, where the dress will be auctioned for the first time in an online sale from 16 -26 September.
“Being a prominent public figure with a distinctive style, she chose to wear something unexpected for her wedding – a short dress. The wedding dress really shows that she was not only embracing the fashion of the sixties and the feminine movement of the time, but it clearly shows that she was moving into a new era, making her own choices and showing her independence through her style, ” Speer continues.
Also notable is Jackie’s decision to ask Valentino to create her dress, which is being sold by a couple who worked on Onassis’ yacht, the Christina. As the first lady, she was under pressure to wear American designers. She would often get around this by commissioning her personal couturier Oleg Cassini to make her quality Parisian pieces on US soil. This, or she would buy from boutiques like Chez Ninon on Park Avenue in New York, which were licensed to reproduce European designs in American workrooms.
Life as the wife of one of the richest men in the world required no such diplomacy, so she could turn to Valentino, who was one of the most popular designers of the period.
“In the sixties, Valentino was the designer of choice, he was very sought after and had a huge following in Italy and the Mediterranean,” Speer explains. “He was the first designer to create a themed collection with his all-white “Sfilata Bianca” collection, which made him very popular with brides of the day. At the time, Valentino was the 21st century equivalent of McQueen or Westwood for wedding dress design.”
And while the dress may look extremely relaxed, Speer explains that the craftsmanship was as detailed as you’d expect from Valentino. “For archivists and collectors, the dress ticks all the boxes in terms of a sixties Valentino item. It was created in exquisite silk crepe materials with intricate lace details that Valentino was known for,” she says.
“The cut, especially the bishop’s sleeves, is extremely smooth and ultimately the condition is unsurpassed. With a lot of sixties fashion, you tend to see deterioration in the threads and fabrics, but the wedding dress is in exceptional condition, no rips or tears. Valentino succeeded in using high quality fabrics and craftsmanship.”
Looking back at images of Jackie from the era, the dress represents a definitive bookmark between the Kennedy (or “Queen of Camelot”) years, as Bonhams describes it, and the Jackie O chapter; a moment of sartorial freedom, between her prim, safe first lady wardrobe and the relaxed ease of a woman who could spend her time vacationing on a Greek yacht and socializing in New York.
The dress is also a testament to her great personal style, a trait she passed on to her son, John F Kennedy Jr. Bonhams also auctions three outfits (two Calvin Klein suits and a Giorgio Armani coat) worn by JFK Jr. . in the early nineties, when he was considered one of the most eligible and handsome bachelors in the world. They are being sold by his close friend Sasha Chermayeff, who auctioned a Yohji Yamamoto dress owned by his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy earlier this year at Bonhams.
“JFK Jr. had a natural ability and understanding. on how to style clothes in an effortless and cool way – a remarkable achievement considering that much of her wardrobe was tailored,” says Speer. “One of the lots is a custom nineties Calvin Klein suit. When you look back at men’s clothing from this era, it’s very flouncy and loose, so the fact that JFK Jr. owned it. such a piece of adaptation at all times in the world. It’s so modern it could have been taken off a recent Tom Ford runway.”
Not only do the suits reflect what Jackie taught her son about dressing well, but the Calvin Klein design is a nod to John’s meeting with his wife, who was working as a publicist and VIP coordinator at the label when six visits to the atelier, making the couple and their relationship is closely linked to the sleek, minimalist look of the time.
Whether it’s the glossy glamor of Jackie or JFK Jr. and CBK’s stunning sophistication, the Kennedy style remains strong today (all three died in their nineties – Jackie from cancer in 1994 and John and Carolyn in a plane crash in 1999).
“With the “Quiet Luxury” trend, the demand for timeless beauty is back, and this chic way of dressing is how the Kennedys dressed,” Speer points out. “They chose classic designs with tailored silhouettes, crafted in beautiful fabrics rather than fashion pieces or fashion trends. So much of their outfits are timeless – in photographs you can’t tell what time they’re from, apart from the world around them.”
Bonhams Classic Luxury: Iconic Style An online sale will take place from 16-26 September at Bonhams.com
