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Apricot dress of Jacqueline Kennedy

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Apricot dress of Jacqueline Kennedy
Apricot dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for a daytime boat ride on Lake Pichola, India[1]
DesignerOleg Cassini
Year1962
TypeFit and flare
MaterialZibeline

The apricot dress of US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, accompanied by a matching coat, was designed by Oleg Cassini, in silk zibeline. It was first featured on a daytime boat ride on 17 March 1962 at Lake Pichola, Udaipur, during Kennedy's 1962 goodwill tour of India.

Shortly after the trip, a replica of the apricot dress appeared in the catalogue of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and on a Barbie doll. It later featured in Hamish Bowles's exhibition that covered Kennedy's White House years.

Design

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Jacqueline Kennedy was a young first lady of the United States in the early 1960s, who was popular and set trends in fashion.[2] She recruited Oleg Cassini to be her official fashion designer.[2] Among other outfits, he designed a sleeveless apricot dress in silk zibeline, accompanied by a matching coat, for Kennedy.[2][3] The fabric was picked for its robustness in hot weather.[4] A bow was created at the waist.[4] The neck was cut in a slight V shape.[5]

Goodwill tour 1962

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Main article: Jacqueline Kennedy's 1962 goodwill tour of India and Pakistan

Kennedy's apricot dress first featured on a daytime boat ride on 17 March 1962 at Lake Pichola during her goodwill tour of India.[2] It was noted to shine, and kept its shape, despite India's heat.[3] Her accessories included her signature white gloves and pearl necklace.[6] According to Cassini, "she and I had discussed Moghul miniatures – marvelous pinks, apricot, green, and importantly, white. These colors would make an impact, and they were in keeping with the climate and the wonderful vivid beauty of the country."[4] Its color was bright enough to be noticed from a distance.[3] In Cassini's words: "there wasn't a sense of how carefully she thought about using color as a statement. I wanted to capture that Dorothy-ending-up-in-Oz feeling. She was absolutely thinking about being a pin dot of color wherever she went."[7] The paleness of the apricot was reported by one French artist to have contrasted well against the pink reflections of Udaipur's palaces in the lake.[8]

  • Jacqueline Kennedy at Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India
    Jacqueline Kennedy at Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India
  • Kennedy takes a boat ride on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, India
    Kennedy takes a boat ride on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, India

Later years

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Shortly after her India tour, a replica of the apricot dress appeared in the catalogue of Sears, Roebuck and Co.[9] The dress also featured on Mattel's doll Barbie in 1962.[9] According to fashion historian Karan Feder, it is not clear whether Mattel influenced Sears or vice versa.[9][a]

Hamish Bowles, in his exhibition titled "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years", described the dress and coat as having "brilliantly served Mrs. Kennedy's needs: The fabric was rigid enough to keep its composure in the heat of India, and its dazzling color and sheen were calculated to ensure that she would be instantly identifiable to the crowds on the distant shore".[10][11]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Feder incorrectly notes the date of the Goodwill Tour as in 1961, not 1962.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Carter-Lome, Maxine (27 January 2020). "Oleg Cassini: Defining American Vintage". The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles | the Social Platform for Antiquers, Collectors, and Enthusiasts.
  2. ^ a b c d Cole, Daniel James; Deihl, Nancy (2015). "6. The 1960s: fashion for the future". The History of Modern Fashion. Laurence King. pp. 650–651. ISBN 978-1-78067-603-6.
  3. ^ a b c Bowles, Hamish (2001). Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years. Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-0-87099-981-9.
  4. ^ a b c Brown, Barbara Pascarell (2012). Pretty in pink: Jacqueline Kennedy and the politics of fashion – ProQuest. p. 54 – via ProQuest.
  5. ^ "First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Clothing | JFK Library". www.jfklibrary.org. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  6. ^ Huber, Hannah (30 August 2021). "Jackie Kennedy Was the Original White House Style Icon". W Magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  7. ^ Bratskeir, Anne (23 April 2001). "The Apricot Coat Formula". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  8. ^ Chamberlain, Anna (30 March 1962). "It just had to be a fashion show". LIFE. Time Inc. p. 32.
  9. ^ a b c d Feder, Karan (29 October 2023). Barbie Takes the Catwalk: A Style Icon's History in Fashion. Weldon Owen International. p. 28. ISBN 979-8-88674-050-9.
  10. ^ Bratskeir, Anne (23 April 2001). "The Apricot Coat Formula". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  11. ^ Sawler, Harvey (2004). Saving Mrs. Kennedy: The Search for an American Hero. Ontario: General Store PublishingHouse. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-897113-10-3.
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