In 1962, Cassini gave Jackie a custom-made leopard print coat, one that would prove to be so influential that it caused the U.S. government to put leopards on the endangered species list. The coat, which had been made up of the pelts of several leopards, instantly became a fashion craze. It was found that an estimated 250,000 leopards were killed to keep up with the demand. Yet another example of just how influential the former First Lady’s style was.
On the day of JFK’s assassination, Jackie wore a pink Chanel suit from the Maison’s 1961 Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection, which has since become a piece of history. The suit, which was reproduced for Natalie Portman in her portrayal of the former First Lady in Jackie, is now stored at the National Archives, out of public view.
Mourning the tragic death of her husband, Jackie served not only as inspiration for the American people, but style inspiration for millions of American women. Heading into the late ’60s, she opted for longer silhouettes: floor-length gowns and draping coats. This style evolution, moving away from the shift dress and into something distinctly mature, also signified a change in Jackie’s life.
The seventies were everything for Jackie’s fashion. A-line skirts, vibrant maxi dresses, those iconically oversized sunglasses from Francois Pinton, even chic menswear suits, she entered a whole new era of dressing—one that matched both the vibe that permeated the decade and the latest chapter of her life