Fans of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy are devastated. This is no ordinary Amazon rebellion – they’re clamoring about the very first images released from an upcoming Netflix series that depicts her life. Approaching 26 years after her untimely death, Bessette Kennedy’s style is legendary. It still beguiles fashion lovers and historians to this very day. The series doesn’t just want to tell her story. It has ignited discussions over its authenticity and the degree to which it represents her lasting legacy.
Bessette Kennedy, then an up-and-coming publicist for Calvin Klein, became the darling of the paparazzi in 1994. All of that changed once she started dating John F. Kennedy Jr. Photographers themselves flocked to get a glimpse of Bessette Kennedy walking the streets of New York City. Combined with her legendary taste for style, their romance fueled the tabloids’ relationship with the paparazzi. Her wardrobe featured pieces from renowned designers such as Narciso Rodriguez, Yohji Yamamoto, Prada, and Comme des Garçons, establishing her as a style icon.
Bessette Kennedy’s style was minimalist, sparing, and undeniably chic—a look that’s been recently rebranded as “quiet luxury.” She championed classics such as denim, white shirts and polo necks. This simplicity resonated with many, leading to a devoted following that actively chronicles her fashion choices on social media platforms like Instagram. Influential brands like The Row, Toteme, and Gabriela Hearst have drawn inspiration from her style, further cementing her position in contemporary fashion.
As excitement grows for the upcoming Netflix series, many are concerned about how Bessette Kennedy’s life and style will be depicted. Fashion journalist Liana Satenstein expressed her skepticism regarding the new miniseries. She raised doubts about whether it could really bring together “painstaking research” with “sassy camp.” “We’ve been taking this woman’s existence and putting it on a Pinterest board for a long time,” Satenstein noted, highlighting the commodification of Bessette Kennedy’s image in popular culture.
Even with worries about inauthenticity, people are still celebrating Bessette Kennedy’s impact. It’s why fashion writer Amy Odell, in a 2019 post about Bessette Kennedy’s legacy, noted the marked difference between today’s “It girls” and this one. “Many ‘It girls’ today have stylists and personal shoppers,” she stated. “Now, personal style is bought and sold. This was simply her style, how she presented herself each day.
The recent outcry has focused on the audiovisual portrayal of Bessette Kennedy in the show. Fashion fans immediately pointed out the inaccuracies even in the representation of her signature looks, like her favorite Birkin bag style. As it happened, Bessette Kennedy often carried a Birkin 40. By comparison, actress Sarah Pidgeon flaunts a Birkin 35 in the promotional images. This has caused some to doubt the care that went into the production.
Brad Johns, Bessette Kennedy’s colorist weighed in on the portrayal of her legendary hairstyle in the series. He likened the hue seen in those recent photos to “too 2024. This indicates that our representation can’t be perfectly accurate to what Bessette Kennedy may have actually looked like in the 1990s.
In addition to the Netflix adaptation, Bessette Kennedy’s legacy has been preserved through various books and auctions dedicated to her style. Her fashion statements still mesmerize the world. She is a popular subject for many social media accounts that repurpose archival images of her iconic wardrobe, which speaks to this ongoing obsession.
Despite the passage of time since her untimely death in 1999, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s impact on fashion and culture endures. Her current celebrity status as America’s answer to Diana, Princess of Wales, is a testament to how well she resonated with the public in her lifetime. Even to this day, that connection rings true just as strongly.
Fans and critics alike will surely watch with skepticism as the Netflix series progresses. As they navigate between reverence for Bessette Kennedy’s legacy and the potential pitfalls of dramatization, one thing remains certain: her style will continue to inspire future generations.