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Oleg CassiniAmerican fashion designer of Russian origin
Date of Birth: 11.04.1913
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Biography of Oleg Cassini
- Early Life and Family
- Early Career and Hollywood
- Designing for Jacqueline Kennedy
- Later Years and Legacy
Biography of Oleg Cassini
Oleg Cassini, an American fashion designer of Russian origin, gained fame as the official designer of Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe during President John F. Kennedy's administration. He was known for creating her entire wardrobe, which greatly influenced fashion trends in the 1960s. In addition to working with Hollywood studios as a costume designer, Cassini was also the exclusive designer for his second wife, the beautiful Hollywood actress Gene Tierney, who wore his dresses in 11 of her films in the 1940s and 1950s.
Early Life and Family
Oleg Cassini was born on April 11, 1913, in Paris, France. He was the eldest son of Countess Margarita Cassini and Russian diplomat Alexander Loewskoy, who later took his wife's surname. His younger brother, Igor, was born in 1915 and would become a well-known American journalist. The Cassini family traces their ancestry back to Count Victor Ivanovich Cassini, who joined the Russian service in 1790. Oleg's maternal grandfather, Count Arthur Pavlovich Cassini (1835-1919), was a diplomat and represented Russia in the United States from 1897 to 1904, although not always successfully. After the October Revolution, Oleg Cassini's family lost their status and fortune but managed to emigrate to Italy, where Margarita Cassini showcased her talents as a fashion designer. Oleg grew up in Florence and twice a year, he and his mother would travel to Paris to study the latest fashion trends. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, the oldest academy of painting in Europe. In 1934, he won an international fashion competition in Turin and secured a position as a sketch artist at Jean Patou's fashion house in 1935. In 1936, Cassini moved to the United States with his younger brother, Igor.
Early Career and Hollywood
In 1937, Cassini opened his first salon in New York City and married Marie Farny in 1938. In 1939, he established a fashion studio and signed a contract with Paramount Pictures to create costumes for their films. Cassini's love for sports, particularly tennis, played a role in his introduction to the people at Paramount. His collaboration with Paramount led to a partnership with 20th Century Fox. He designed costumes for numerous films, including the film noir "The Shanghai Gesture" (1941) directed by Josef von Sternberg. The film starred Gene Tierney, who would later become Oleg's second wife. From then on, Tierney exclusively wore Cassini's designs on screen. Oleg Cassini became a naturalized American citizen and volunteered for the army during World War II. He initially served in the United States Coast Guard and later transferred to the cavalry. Cassini often mentioned in interviews that he had Zaporozhian Cossack blood running through his veins, which may have influenced his choice to serve in the military. However, he had been involved in equestrian sports since childhood and was an accomplished horseman.
Designing for Jacqueline Kennedy
After the war, Oleg Cassini developed ready-to-wear clothing while continuing to collaborate with the film, television, and Broadway industries. However, in the early 1960s, his name suddenly gained worldwide recognition due to his work on Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe. As the First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline's impeccable style influenced women of all ages. Cassini created over 300 costumes for her, including dresses, hats, coats, gloves, handbags, and fur coats. His designs were characterized by geometric simplicity, luxurious fabrics, meticulously thought-out details, and perfect tailoring. Cassini's popularity soared, making him one of the first designers in the world to license his name for various products, from luggage to nail polish. In his memoirs, Cassini wrote that all he remembered from those days was endless stress and phone calls from the First Lady, who, like all women, claimed to have "nothing to wear." In 2001, a retrospective exhibition of Cassini's designs for Jacqueline Kennedy was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Later Years and Legacy
When Jacqueline Kennedy withdrew from the political arena after President Kennedy's assassination, Oleg Cassini's company, Oleg Cassini Inc., continued to thrive. In 1989, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the International Fine Arts College in Miami in recognition of his contributions to the world of fashion. Cassini continued to create women's and men's clothing, both high-end and more affordable, until his final days. He attributed his longevity and work ethic to good genetics, moderation in food, a passion for sports, and the fact that he never sat idly, always remaining active throughout his life. Cassini was known for his romantic relationships with some of the most beautiful women in the fashion and film industry. He was briefly engaged to Grace Kelly, but she ultimately chose to marry into the Monaco royal family at the influence of her parents.
Cassini's first marriage was to Chicago industrialist's daughter, Merry Farny, nicknamed "Madcap Merry" due to her love for flying planes and parachuting. However, the marriage was turbulent, and their divorce was dramatic, involving mutual accusations of infidelity and almost movie-like espionage. Despite this, Cassini's second marriage, to Hollywood actress Gene Tierney in 1941, was also unstable, and they divorced in 1953. They had two daughters, Antoinette Daria Cassini in 1943 and Christina Cassini in 1948. Tragically, Antoinette was born mentally handicapped, deaf, and blind due to Gene Tierney contracting rubella during pregnancy. Agatha Christie used this tragic story as inspiration for her novel "The Mirror Crack'd."
Upon their divorce, Oleg promised to provide for his daughters in his will, and indeed, a court decision awarded each of them 25% of his estate. The remainder of his estate and his company, Oleg Cassini Inc., passed to his third wife, Marianne, whom he married in 1971.
Oleg Cassini passed away on March 17, 2006, in New York City at the age of 92, from complications of a stroke. Despite his advanced age, his death came as a surprise to his loved ones due to his excellent health until the end.