A beige chiffon and lace Valentino dress, worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis after her marriage to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, sold for more than triple its pre-sale estimate at Bonhams' "Classic Luxury: Style Icons" auction. The dress, a significant piece of fashion history, fetched $24,320 after the sale closed on September 26th.
The dress was not the one Kennedy wore for her actual wedding ceremony to Onassis, which took place on his private island of Skorpios in 1968. This Valentino creation was a later version of that iconic design, gifted to Kennedy by the designer. She notably wore this dress to the wedding of Eliza Lloyd and Viscount Moore in October 1968, an event where her children, Caroline and John Jr., served as flower girl and page boy respectively.
The dress found its way to the auction block through a private couple who enjoyed a close friendship with the Onassis couple. Bonhams highlighted the significance of the piece, stating that it "showcases an important design in maison Valentino's history."
The auction also featured items belonging to John F. Kennedy Jr., including a Calvin Klein tuxedo, a Calvin Klein suit and black tie, and a Giorgio Armani overcoat, which collectively sold for over $15,000.
This sale coincided with renewed interest in another iconic Jacqueline Kennedy dress – her wedding gown designed by Ann Lowe. Sony’s Tristar is developing a film titled “The Dress,” based on Piper Huguley’s novel “By Her Own Design,” which will explore Lowe's experience as a Black designer creating the historic garment.
While Kennedy’s first wedding dress represented tradition and familial expectations, her choice to wear Valentino after her marriage to Onassis showcased a woman embracing her independence and personal style. As fashion historian Katya Roelse notes, it was a "risk" that demonstrated Kennedy's maturity and desire to please herself.