by Few people have been canonized by the fashion industry like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Publicist Calvin Klein and her husband John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash in July 1999, at the height of their influence as New York’s most stylish couple.
Interest in CBK’s wardrobe has persisted in the 25 years since the tragedy. Bessette-Kennedy’s style was admired for its simplicity; she represented classy and classic minimalism and preferred timelessness over trends. She was a public figure for a while before her untimely death (she started dating Kennedy in 1994, they married in 1996) which means that the limited amount of public and paparazzi photos that exist are a treasure trove of particular inspiration for fashion designers. As a collection, they capture a woman at a particular moment, with a crystallized sense of her own taste.
For the first time ever, a piece from Bessette-Kennedy’s wardrobe is up for auction. Bonhams will sell her Yohji Yamamoto black silk dress on June 27 as part of its Collecting Classic Luxury online sale. The piece is symbolic, says Marissa Speer, Bonhams US Head of Sales for Handbags and Fashion, and is expected to fetch well over its $3,000 estimate.
“When I come across pieces for sale, I’m always excited, but this was a real moment,” says Speer. The Telegraph. “Everyone who works in fashion recognizes the name Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and many see her as the ultimate fashion icon who defined 90s minimalism. I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present a special Yohji Yamamoto dress directly tied to CBK.”
Bessette Kennedy had a special personal relationship with the Japanese designer Yamamoto. It was one of the few labels she wore regularly – she was equally loyal to Manolo Blahnik, Miuccia Prada and Ann Demeulemeester. Speer notes that the quality of the piece has not deteriorated at all in the 26 years since CBK wore it to Manhattan’s private members’ venue, The Supper Club, where it was photographed with Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy’s sister. It is a wrap style ‘trench dress’ with innovative hybrid design elements.
Bonhams will sell the dress on behalf of Sasha Chermayeff, a close friend of John F. Kennedy Jr. from school, who was given the dress by Lisa Bessette as a gift after her sister’s death.
“They were wonderful people,” says Chermayeff, “I was honored to know them. After 25 years, the time is right to carry on some of Carolyn’s legacy.”
Speer predicts strong interest from atypical buyers, as well as museums and institutions. Its apparently low estimate of $2-3,000 will attract interest among a wider audience. Many designers today, such as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at The Row, Gabriela Hearst and Catherine Holstein at Khaite, draw direct influence from Bessette Kennedy’s paintings, and could see value in owning a piece like this. Modern celebrities who want to achieve the fashion prestige that Bessette-Kennedy once held could consider buying it to wear as a red carpet statement.
“I could see interest from design firms who want to keep the dress as inspiration in their archives,” says Speer. “Alternately, there is the fashion element, people who are inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s style and who don’t forget, of course, the Canadian connection. It is important not to forget the importance of the design itself and for fans of Yohji Yamamoto’s Japanese fashion, this dress stands alone as a very popular piece of 90s fashion design.”
In the past year, a new book CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: Life in Fashion released, spreading all images of Bessette-Kennedy alongside commentary from Edward Enninful and Michael Kors. Kors points out that CBK is “a modern answer to the timeless American chic of her mother-in-law, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.” She has her social media following – there are Instagram accounts dedicated to her outfits – @carolynbessette has more than 58,000 followers.
This auction will be an interesting trial – this is the first time that something owned or even worn by Bessette-Kennedy has been publicly sold, and the interest in her legacy will be measured on a very public stage. A big success can lead to the commissioning of future fashion shows, documentaries, or dramas.
Speer’s personal excitement is palpable and she seems confident of a strong result. “We look at Carolyn’s style today and the images look like they could have been taken yesterday,” she says. “No wonder she continues to pave the way as an inspiration.”
“I think she was anti-conformity in her own way,” she says. “Going against seasonal trends and heavily logo-based designs, she created minimalism. I believe she was in the most elegant way ever seen.”
