Jaqueline de Ribes
The Swan Necked Queen, Icon Issue # 3
I first encountered Jaqueline de Ribes when I visited her retrospective at the New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art called "Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style." I remember walking down a flight of stairs into the Costume Institute and being greeted by 60 pieces from her own personal collection. Showcased masterfully were pieces ranging from haute couture, to ready to wear from famous designers, to pieces from her own line. Walking out it was very clear she was a woman of elegance and taste, who lived a lavish and luxurious lifestyle that was well connected to the arts. Parisian high society buzzed around her garments, but I was also confused. I had never heard her name before this moment. Who was she? Where was she from ? Most importantly- how could she afford her lifestyle? From the photos displayed, she had the frame of Audrey Hepburn and cheekbones of Cher- at first sight it is obvious why she was such an influential socialite and a muse to “high” society of her time (1950’s-1990’s).
Life: A wonderful account of Jaqueline’s life can be found in Vanity Fair written by Amy Fine Collins, called The Last Queen of Paris. Most of the information in this post was gleaned from this piece. According to Amy Collins, Jaqueline was born into a world of privilege and wealth. However, WWII brough unavoidable hardships to every social class. Jaqueline described her childhood as lonely and the relationship with her mother difficult. She found solace in fashion and the arts, a passion she developed in her childhood which she patronized her entire life.
The war ended and Europe transitioned into a truly glamorous era. In ushered, in my opinion, peak “art de vivre.” In 1948 de Ribes became a “viscountess” at only 18 when she married Édouard de Ribes. Through her social position, she cultivated relationships with numerous artists and other influential individuals. She worked with Emilio Pucci - they met on one of their ski trips (Emilio Pucci was first noticed in America for his amazing ski clothes). She had an amazing relationship with Valentino - they met when he was only 20 and immediately began making clothes specifically for her. In 1982, she started a fashion line under her own name. Over the years she experimented with the idea of designing for others and even worked briefly with Oleg Cassini and Emilio Pucci. The business, however, was not to last. In the mid-'90s, a back operation left her with chronic pain
Accolades : Her reputation with designers and editors landed her a spot on the International Best-Dressed List on 5 different occasions, the first in 1956. Eventually she was awarded a position in the Hall of Fame in 1962. Jaqueline’s legacy will live on in the moments she created - the CEO of being fashionably late- making up for it simply in how fabulously she was dressed.
Resources :
https://www.pinterest.com/olgavyrjikovska/jacqueline-de-ribes/
https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2015/jacqueline-de-ribes