When Jackie Kennedy married her second husband, the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, in 1968, she chose a wedding dress that was a stark departure from the traditional couture gown she wore for her first wedding to John F. Kennedy. For the ceremony held on Onassis’s private Greek island, Skorpios, she opted for a more relaxed yet still couture ensemble: a Valentino high-neck lace top and pleated skirt from the designer’s spring/summer 1968 collection.
This unconventional choice, a short dress, was groundbreaking for the time. As Marissa Speer, head of sale for designer handbags and fashion at Bonhams in the US, explains to Vogue, “Jackie’s wedding dress was a stepping stone in her transition from the Queen of Camelot to Jackie O: style icon, where she was making her own choices and showing her independence through her style.”
It is believed that Jackie purchased the two-piece during a private showing of Valentino’s haute couture collection, along with several other dresses. Speer further notes, “Jackie wore a few Valentino outfits during the 1960s, so it was a natural choice for her wedding dress. Valentino during this time was growing in popularity and went on to be prolific in the 1970s.”
Following Jackie’s death in 1994, the Valentino ensemble was gifted to a couple who worked on Onassis’s yacht, Christina. Later this month, it will be offered for auction with an estimated price tag of $8,000 to $12,000 (£6,000 to £9,000), alongside other items such as John F. Kennedy Jr’s Calvin Klein tuxedo and suit and Giorgio Armani coat.
Given that Kim Kardashian already owns Jackie Kennedy’s vintage Cartier watch, could she be the next owner of the former First Lady’s iconic Valentino wedding dress? Only time will tell. This auction promises to be a captivating event for fashion enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
