Oleg Cassini and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy attend a costume party, early 1960s.
A self-dubbed “secretary of style,” French-American designer Oleg Cassini was largely responsible for making Jackie Kennedy a style icon. Born in France and raised in Italy, Cassini immigrated to the United States in 1936. He subsequently ventured into costume design for Paramount Pictures and quickly became a Hollywood favorite, drawing the attention of one Jacqueline Bouvier. After marrying JFK, Jackie appointed Cassini as her couturier, whereupon he crafted a contemporary chic look for the First Lady that cast her as the embodiment of a New World royalty. Cassini became a household name, and Jackie’s wardrobe of sheath dresses and wool coats was the envy of women across the country. Cassini’s vision of simplified elegance continues to reverberate in fashion today.