leopard print ‘Renaud’ coat, Damas’s favourite, recalls a rare foray into pattern (though of course Carolyn dialled it down with jeans and plain leather boots) while the ‘Bobo’ bag resembles the style she wore on her shoulder the first time the couple were photographed together after their wedding.
The collection also pays tribute to Bessette Kennedy’s ‘impeccable evening looks’, usually sourced from Yohji Yamamoto or Narcisco Rodriguez and worn to fundraising galas and society dinners in New York and Washington; the ‘Ines’ velvet LBD and a take on her signature tomato red lipstick would work just as well for a restaurant date or night out with friends now as they did for those high-profile events then.
Despite providing the building blocks for a CBK-esque wardrobe, Damas insists that the most important quality of any outfit is that you ‘see the woman before the clothes’.
And therein lies Bessette Kennedy’s enduring appeal. Although she rarely spoke in public or revealed much about her life, her confidently effortless and refined style hinted at something beyond those carefully chosen coats and starkly simple evening looks - but never revealed anything.
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