Page 28 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles Januray 2020
P. 28
Mrs. Kennedy’s style was photographed and written A LEGACY AT AUCTION
about around the world. Women across the Last June, Doyle Auctions held an estate auction
country wanted to look like her and dress like her. of personal items and furnishings from Cassini’s
“The Jackie Look is the single biggest fashion 43-acre Morelands estate in Oyster Bay, New York,
influence in history,” said Edith Head, a renowned a 1915 Italian Renaissance-style mansion built by
Hollywood costume designer, about the impact of former Tiffany & Co. chairman Charles Berg, and
Oleg and Jackie’s style collaboration. his neo-Gothic Gramercy Park townhouse in
After President Kennedy’s assassination, Cassini
and the first lady parted ways, but not before the New York City.
Among the 750 lots were English and
designer’s name was imprinted in the American Continental furniture, table settings, artwork,
consciousness. He had, by then, also become a full- Kennedy family memorabilia, and personal
fledged member of what his brother Igor/Cholly correspondence including several letters to Cassini
Knickerbocker had termed “the jet set.” He was from Jackie Kennedy, as well as four from the
now in demand and ready to launch a new chapter actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly. During his
in his life as a great American designer, creating a lifetime, Cassini never sold any of the vast Kennedy
legacy that continues to generate millions today in Gold-plated with diamond Oleg Cassini memorabilia that he archived along with other
licensing fees for products that bear his name. watch selling for around $100 online career triumphs.
The all-day event also featured a nine-page handwritten letter by
Kennedy to Oleg, 130 sketches drawn in the 1990s for Cassini’s book
DESIGN INFLUENCE
Cassini had one of the longest careers of any designer in America, A Thousand Days of Magic, 18 Kennedy-era sketches, and a detailed
spanning seven decades of creating both high fashion for Hollywood’s ledger from 1960 to early 1964 with fabric swatches and descriptions
elite and ready-to-wear fashions for the average consumer. Cassini was of Kennedy-approved ensembles. The auction brought in more than
also one of the first designers to recognize that there was wealth to be $1.3 million – well above pre-auction estimates of $578,185 to $884,260.
had in ready-to-wear instead of high fashion, and that celebrity and
image sell.
Although known primarily as a woman’s clothing designer, Cassini
did not stop with only women’s dresses and gowns. The Cassini
signature was also available under license to the makers of women’s
hosiery, hats, shoes, gloves, girdles, jewelry, furs, swimsuits,
sportswear, and sunglasses. And he did not
overlook clothing for men – he was the
first to introduce brightly colored shirts
for men, was responsible for the short-
lived trend of the Nehru jacket, developed
a line of men’s suits named after Johnny
Carson, and licensed his name to slacks,
neckties, underwear, belts, watches, and Magnificent nine page autograph letter from Jacqueline
sweaters. He even marketed linens for Kennedy as First Lady (elect) signed to Oleg Cassini in
advance of the presidential inauguration. Sold at Doyle’s
the bathroom and bedroom, and in the for $16,250 (includes buyer’s premium) photo: doyle.com
1990s used his brand to launch his own,
non-licensed fragrance company.
At Left: Composite Suit of Fluted Armor in the
Maximilian style sold for $262,500 (includes buyer’s
premium) photo: doyle.com
Vintage Oleg Cassini 893 glasses selling for $200+
online photo: vintageglasses.com
While it is the pillbox hat, designed to
accommodate Kennedy’s newly acquired
bouffant hairdo, that is most closely associat-
ed with Oleg Cassini the designer, he is also Vintage Oleg Cassini tie What were perhaps the
credited with the A-line, sheath, and empire- selling online for around most interesting lots were the
strapless dresses—silhouettes still referenced $20 photo: vintageboutique.com auction’s rainmaker items: a
by contemporary designers,—and especially composite suit of plate armor
the licensing company that continues to design bridal gowns under the in the Maximilian style that
sold for $262,500 – setting a
Oleg Cassini brand, which Inside Weddings credited as “changing
today’s bridal fashion” in 2016. new American auction record
Cassini’s designs are credited by the fashion world as having offered for European armor, and a
Oleg Cassini fashion sketch titled
an elegant new way to be classically American. He took conservative George I gilt-gesso side table “Mrs. Kennedy-Palais de Versailles-State
staples, such as the shirt dress, the simple shift, and the wool coat, and attributed to James Moore that Dinner,” likely 1961 but possibly later,
made them into new American classics. He also made them sexy. While fetched $75,000. These and pencil. Sold for $1,625 (includes buyer ’s
his looks define the “Old Hollywood,” “Camelot,” and “Ready-to- other like items collected and premium) photo: doyle.com
invested in over time present
Wear” eras in fashion, they have stood the test of time and are now
considered timeless, making them still desired by both collectors and what perhaps is the best reflection of who Oleg Cassini was in terms of
fashionistas of vintage American fashion. his personal interests. The rest, as they say, is window dressing.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
26
about around the world. Women across the Last June, Doyle Auctions held an estate auction
country wanted to look like her and dress like her. of personal items and furnishings from Cassini’s
“The Jackie Look is the single biggest fashion 43-acre Morelands estate in Oyster Bay, New York,
influence in history,” said Edith Head, a renowned a 1915 Italian Renaissance-style mansion built by
Hollywood costume designer, about the impact of former Tiffany & Co. chairman Charles Berg, and
Oleg and Jackie’s style collaboration. his neo-Gothic Gramercy Park townhouse in
After President Kennedy’s assassination, Cassini
and the first lady parted ways, but not before the New York City.
Among the 750 lots were English and
designer’s name was imprinted in the American Continental furniture, table settings, artwork,
consciousness. He had, by then, also become a full- Kennedy family memorabilia, and personal
fledged member of what his brother Igor/Cholly correspondence including several letters to Cassini
Knickerbocker had termed “the jet set.” He was from Jackie Kennedy, as well as four from the
now in demand and ready to launch a new chapter actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly. During his
in his life as a great American designer, creating a lifetime, Cassini never sold any of the vast Kennedy
legacy that continues to generate millions today in Gold-plated with diamond Oleg Cassini memorabilia that he archived along with other
licensing fees for products that bear his name. watch selling for around $100 online career triumphs.
The all-day event also featured a nine-page handwritten letter by
Kennedy to Oleg, 130 sketches drawn in the 1990s for Cassini’s book
DESIGN INFLUENCE
Cassini had one of the longest careers of any designer in America, A Thousand Days of Magic, 18 Kennedy-era sketches, and a detailed
spanning seven decades of creating both high fashion for Hollywood’s ledger from 1960 to early 1964 with fabric swatches and descriptions
elite and ready-to-wear fashions for the average consumer. Cassini was of Kennedy-approved ensembles. The auction brought in more than
also one of the first designers to recognize that there was wealth to be $1.3 million – well above pre-auction estimates of $578,185 to $884,260.
had in ready-to-wear instead of high fashion, and that celebrity and
image sell.
Although known primarily as a woman’s clothing designer, Cassini
did not stop with only women’s dresses and gowns. The Cassini
signature was also available under license to the makers of women’s
hosiery, hats, shoes, gloves, girdles, jewelry, furs, swimsuits,
sportswear, and sunglasses. And he did not
overlook clothing for men – he was the
first to introduce brightly colored shirts
for men, was responsible for the short-
lived trend of the Nehru jacket, developed
a line of men’s suits named after Johnny
Carson, and licensed his name to slacks,
neckties, underwear, belts, watches, and Magnificent nine page autograph letter from Jacqueline
sweaters. He even marketed linens for Kennedy as First Lady (elect) signed to Oleg Cassini in
advance of the presidential inauguration. Sold at Doyle’s
the bathroom and bedroom, and in the for $16,250 (includes buyer’s premium) photo: doyle.com
1990s used his brand to launch his own,
non-licensed fragrance company.
At Left: Composite Suit of Fluted Armor in the
Maximilian style sold for $262,500 (includes buyer’s
premium) photo: doyle.com
Vintage Oleg Cassini 893 glasses selling for $200+
online photo: vintageglasses.com
While it is the pillbox hat, designed to
accommodate Kennedy’s newly acquired
bouffant hairdo, that is most closely associat-
ed with Oleg Cassini the designer, he is also Vintage Oleg Cassini tie What were perhaps the
credited with the A-line, sheath, and empire- selling online for around most interesting lots were the
strapless dresses—silhouettes still referenced $20 photo: vintageboutique.com auction’s rainmaker items: a
by contemporary designers,—and especially composite suit of plate armor
the licensing company that continues to design bridal gowns under the in the Maximilian style that
sold for $262,500 – setting a
Oleg Cassini brand, which Inside Weddings credited as “changing
today’s bridal fashion” in 2016. new American auction record
Cassini’s designs are credited by the fashion world as having offered for European armor, and a
Oleg Cassini fashion sketch titled
an elegant new way to be classically American. He took conservative George I gilt-gesso side table “Mrs. Kennedy-Palais de Versailles-State
staples, such as the shirt dress, the simple shift, and the wool coat, and attributed to James Moore that Dinner,” likely 1961 but possibly later,
made them into new American classics. He also made them sexy. While fetched $75,000. These and pencil. Sold for $1,625 (includes buyer ’s
his looks define the “Old Hollywood,” “Camelot,” and “Ready-to- other like items collected and premium) photo: doyle.com
invested in over time present
Wear” eras in fashion, they have stood the test of time and are now
considered timeless, making them still desired by both collectors and what perhaps is the best reflection of who Oleg Cassini was in terms of
fashionistas of vintage American fashion. his personal interests. The rest, as they say, is window dressing.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
26
