The collection of historic outfits belonging to Jaqueline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. include a Valentino wedding dress worth an estimated $12,000.
Though they have since passed away, Jaqueline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy (JFK) Jr. have left a lasting legacy as American politics’ most recognizable faces. Today, auction house Bonhams honors the former first lady and her son through a special online sale entitled “Classic Luxury Style Icons.” The collection of outfits owned and worn by the pair are currently being auctioned until September 26—marking the very first time in history that the outfits have gone under the hammer.
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A Wedding To Remember
Lots include a Valentino wedding dress owned and worn by Jacqueline during her nuptials to Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis in 1968, which took place on the private Greek island of Skorpios. The piece is estimated to fetch around $8,000 to $12,000.
Many remember the former first lady for being a style icon, and her wedding ensemble is emblematic of this. True to her timeless elegance, she simply styled the dress with a bow in her bouffant hair.
Valentino designed the two-piece outfit for his Spring/Summer 1968 haute couture collection, where the lace bodice floated over a dress with a pleated skirt. The sophisticated Valentino ivory lace ensemble became an immediate worldwide sensation. Suddenly, all brides in the swinging 69s wanted a wedding dress with its knee-length pleated skirt, mock turtleneck, and long bishop sleeves. The dress heading to auction signifies a pivotal moment in fashion, marking Jacqueline Kennedy’s transition from Queen of Camelot into “Jackie O” (short for Jacqueline Onassis).
The Distinguished Gentleman
The sale also includes a Calvin Klein tuxedo; Calvin Klein suit and black tie; and Giorgio Armani overcoat, all worn and owned by JFK Jr. circa 1990 (nearly a decade before his untimely death in a plane crash). The three pieces are offered individually with estimates of $2,000 to $3,000.
The Calvin Klein tuxedo and Calvin Klein suit and black tie are particularly significant pieces, not only because they showcase JFK Jr.’s signature style of wearing black suits and bow ties, but also because they represent an important moment in his life and history. JFK Jr. purchased them from Calvin Klein when his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, was working there as a publicist. The couple first met in the VIP fitting room at Calvin Klein in 1992 and went on to marry in 1996.
The strikingly handsome JFK Jr. was also regularly seen wearing the Giorgio Armani overcoat around New York. He was a popular social figure until his and his wife’s tragic deaths in 1999—and 25 years later, he continues to garner interest across the globe, his signature style admired by many menswear aficionados.
Inimitable Ensembles
It is also worth noting that these outfits come with “an exceptional provenance,” as Marissa Speer—Bonhams head of sale for Handbags & Fashion in the United States—describes in a statement.
JFK Jr.’s outfits are from close friend Sasha Chermayeff, while Jacqueline’s wedding dress was owned by a couple who worked on the famous yacht “Christina.” The former first lady and couple were good friends, which is why the dress was gifted to them following her passing in 1994. It has remained in their possession ever since.
“It is a rare privilege to be able to present Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress worn on her marriage to Aristotle Onassis and John F. Kennedy Jr’s outfits; a tuxedo, suit and overcoat in the same sale,” comments Speer.
She continued: “The Kennedys are without question, one of the most prominent families in modern American history. Jacqueline Kennedy’s 1968 couture ensemble is not only an important piece of fashion history marking the emergence of one of the most stylish women in the world — Jackie O — but also showcases an important design in maison Valentino’s history.”
Banner photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Photos courtesy of Bonhams (unless indicated).
