Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Minimalist ’90s Wardrobe, Gifted to Her Friend, Set for Sotheby’s Auction
Items that belonged to one of the late 20th century’s biggest style icons — Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy — are going up for auction. On Thursday, Sotheby’s broke the news of its December sale, which will take place online.
Three pieces of clothing from Bessette-Kennedy’s wardrobe are hitting the block courtesy of RoseMarie Terenzio, onetime executive assistant to Bessette’s husband, John F. Kennedy Jr. Terenzio was also close friends with the couple, who tragically died in a plane crash in the summer of 1999.
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“There is no greater expression of someone’s life than their clothes,” Lucy Bishop, fashion specialist at Sotheby’s, said in a statement. “Countless articles have been written about Carolyn’s life and era-defining minimalist style, yet relatively little exists on public record of her own voice.”
“These garments speak volumes about her tragically short but remarkable life,” Bishop continued. “They reveal a woman who made considered choices, navigated public scrutiny with intelligence and grace, displaying a generosity and kindness that touched those around her. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy understood the power of dressing well, and this belief is forever reflected in these clothes.”
All three items were given to Terenzio by Bessette-Kennedy, including a vintage leopard-print coat that the former Calvin Klein publicist purchased at a Parisian flea market. Its pre-auction estimate is anywhere between $20,000 and $30,000.
Terenzio, who describes Bessette-Kennedy as her “fashion fairy godmother,” fondly recalls being gifted the faux fur piece in her book, “Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love and Loss.”
“Whenever I had a date, Carolyn would say, ‘What are you wearing? Come down, and we’ll pick something out for you,'” Terenzio writes.
Also up for auction is a black wool Prada coat, likely from the label’s fall 1996 collection. Bessette-Kennedy was photographed wearing it ahead of Bill Clinton’s inauguration, which she attended alongside her husband. Bessette-Kennedy also owned the same coat in camel. The navy version is expected to fetch between $15,000 and $20,000.
Finally, Sotheby’s will sell Bessette-Kennedy’s double-breasted Yohji Yamamoto jacket. Featuring padded hips and a cinched waist, she wore the wool piece, estimated to go for $15,000 to $20,000, at a Municipal Art Society gala in 1997. The event celebrated Robert De Niro, who received the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal for his contributions to the arts and New York City’s cultural landscape.
Bessette-Kennedy’s style exemplifies the recent quiet luxury and “old money” trends that have taken hold amongst the TikTok generation. Her penchant for sleek, simple and elegant designs can also be tied to a resurgence in ’90s-inspired minimalism.
“The patrician labels such as Chanel or Dior with their obvious house signatures of fabric and hardware were too obvious for Carolyn,” Sunita Kumar Nair, author of “CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion,” told WWD last year. “Her fashion choices weren’t considered easy fashion bites; the designers she favored were mainly worn by the fashion industry, so she sort of made it more mainstream by wearing it for public events. While it wasn’t necessarily appreciated at the time, it was groundbreaking for time to come.”
The Bessette-Kennedy lots are part of Sotheby’s second annual Fashion Icons sale, which honors legendary figures through the lens of fashion. Last September, the inaugural auction featured Princess Diana’s iconic sheep sweater. It sold for $1.1 million — establishing an auction record for any article of clothing worn by the late Princess, and the most valuable sweater ever sold at auction.
Further highlights from Sotheby’s Fashion Icons sale will be revealed in the coming weeks. Online bidding for the Bessette-Kennedy auction opens on Nov. 27 and closes Dec. 17. The garments will also be displayed at Sotheby’s in New York from Dec. 5 to 10.
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