Lee Radziwill
Lee Radziwill and Jackie “O”
I love a good sister rival story, and nobody does is better than Jackie and Lee. A lifetime in the spotlight can’t be easy, but these girls were raised to be high achievers. They had all the hallmarks of a fabulous debutantes. They grew up will all the hallmarks of privilege: the 740 Park apartment, the Porter House education, the Hamptons home, the expertise in languages, the summers abroad. They had plenty of husbands and more than enough dresses to fill a Christie’s auction. (which they both had after their passing)
Lee was certainly the more stylish sister. When JFK told Jackie "American designers only,” in the White House, Lee snuck Givenchy in through the back door. She dressed her sister in the famous trip to Europe when Jackie was dubbed the “First Lady of Fashion.” She introduced Jackie to the brands we all know and love her for, such as Ralph Rucci and Oleg Cassini.
Lee’s life overall was pretty classic for a NYC socialite. She had a failed acting career, wrote a book, and attended couture shows.
Jackie remarried after JFK to Greek mogul, Aristotle Onassis. When that relationship failed, she grew tired of relying on men and went back to work in journalism. The most hilarious fact I learned when researching for this page was; Lee had an affair with Onassis before Jackie married him, but Jackie made her break it off because it was bad for JFK’s political career(since he was foreign). BUT THEN when JFK died, she MARRIED HIM.
These two socialites are what every ambitious Park Ave family hopes their girls grow up to be.
Jackie and Lee lived a loud life of great privilege, they were a product of their sparkling environments. That being said, it’s interesting to examine their lives and education of the women that my grandmother obsessed over. The elite American social sphere is a world that barres entry to most and exploring their lives we can see more of the institutions that groomed these girls for their lives of glamor. Their style remains relevant and inspiring. When I think of American class, I look to the Bouvier sisters.
Interesting Further Reads :
Lee’s collection at Cristies’s: https://www.christies.com/en/auction/the-collection-of-lee-bouvier-radziwill-28136/?filters=&page=4&searchphrase=&sortby=lotnumber&themes=
The “Jackie Tapes”
Their family Hamptons home : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVtgBP3pGYE
Their family NY apartment on the classy 740 Park Ave: https://ny.curbed.com/2017/7/14/15971658/jacqueline-kennedy-onassiss-740-park-avenue-sale