Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has once again set a new standard for fashion lovers – by becoming a ‘ghost influencer’, with top fashion brands once again touting her iconic style, 24 years after she and husband John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash.
Then Carolyn and JFK. Jr – the second child of the late President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – started dating in the early ’90s. They quickly became one of the most talked about couples in the world.
Of course, the public already had a huge fascination with the Kennedys, but Carolyn’s bold fashion choices and her ability to transform even the simplest looks into a chic ensemble only attracted people more.
Carolyn – who worked as publicity director for Calvin Klein’s flagship store in Manhattan – not only dominated the red carpet when attending an event, but she also turned the streets of New York City into her own personal catwalk when running errands or walking their dog .
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has become a ‘ghost influencer’ – as scores of top fashion brands are once again pushing her iconic style, 24 years after she tragically died in a plane crash
When Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr. started dating in the early 1990s, they quickly became one of the most talked about couples in the world
Of course, the public already had a huge fascination with the Kennedys, but Carolyn’s bold fashion choices only drew people in even more.
Sadly, the couple tragically died in a horrific plane crash in 1999 – three years after they tied the knot – but some of her looks continue to impact the fashion world for decades.
Paparazzi often camped outside the couple’s New York City apartment hoping to catch a glimpse of them, and many became obsessed with seeing what she would wear next.
Sadly, the couple tragically died in a horrific plane crash in 1999 – three years after they tied the knot – but some of her looks are still having an impact on the fashion world decades later.
The New York Times pointed out that many of Carolyn’s style staples — such as pencil skirts, slip dresses, loafers and overcoats — have recently appeared on the New York Fashion Week runways, labeling her “the ghost influencer of the season.”
Carolyn famously wore a white button-up top tucked into a figure-hugging floor-length black skirt during one of the last appearances she made before her death.
And now several brands – including Peter Do, Dior and Fendi – have shown off similar looks in their latest collections.
In addition, the clothing company Sporty & Rich recreated some of her and JFK Jr.’s most famous paparazzi photos as part of a campaign last month.
“She was minimalist with character—she wasn’t sterile or boring,” Wes Gordon, the creative director of Carolina Herrera, the outlet of Carolyn’s sense of style, told me.
Elizabeth Beller, an author who will release a biography of Carolyn next spring called Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, added: “She resonates with the cultural mood of ‘stealth wealth’ and interest in sustainability . .’
The Times pointed out that many of Carolyn’s style pieces have recently appeared on the NYFW runways. She can be seen on the left, while a model from the Peter Do catwalk show can be seen on the right
Not only did Carolyn dominate the red carpet when attending an event, but she also turned the streets of New York City into her own personal runway when running errands.
What made Carolyn even more enviable was the fact that most of the time it looked like she had put minimal effort into her appearance.
They were understated – something fashion brands are now desperately trying to achieve with their clothes.
“She had only 30 to 40 clothes in her wardrobe,” says another biographer, Sunita Kumar Nair.
‘One of her friends said: ‘If you open her wardrobe you will see five pairs of black trousers and a selection of very well-fitting shirts.’ She sometimes borrowed the rest when she had to go to gala events.’
Because the couple was notoriously private — they virtually never did interviews or discussed their romance with the public — Sunita pointed out that Carolyn “used fashion as her way of having a conversation” and “interacting with the public.”
Paparazzi often camped outside the couple’s apartment hoping to catch a glimpse of them, and many became obsessed with seeing what she would wear next.
The clothing company Sporty & Rich recreated some of her and JFK Jr.’s most famous paparazzi photos (left) as part of a campaign (right) last month.
Carolyn’s status as a fashion icon was only cemented when her life was cut short and she was murdered at the age of 33.
“She will never age, get Botox, post a thoughtless comment, get sloppy — or change her style,” the Times explained.
“Like Diana, Princess of Wales, whose royal stature, beauty and untimely death made her a legend, Mrs. Bessette Kennedy exists not so much as a person but as an idea.”
She, her husband and her older sister Lauren were traveling across the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Martha’s Vineyard when their plane crashed. JFK Jr. controlled it at the time.
‘The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the aircraft during a descent over water at night, which was the result of spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident included haze and the dark night,” a report on the crash said.