Medford mail tribune., April 23, 1961, Image 40

Oleg
Cassini:
Family Weekly J
April 23, 1961
The lights are burning late at the White
House these days. But they are burning
almost as late at 498 Seventh Avenue, New
York, where Oleg Cassini, designer selected
by Mrs. Jack Kennedy to create her entire
-wardrobe, is feverishly at work.
These will be the most publicized clothes in
the world, seen on TV and reproduced in
magazines and newspapers. And Cassini
is twice blessed in realizing a designer's
dream to have such a woman wearing them
the slim, elegant, beautiful First Lady.
That other leading designers frankly envy
the plum is obvious, and the question they
and everyone else asks is, "Why?" .
There has been a general impression that
Cassini, along with scores of other fashion
designers, engaged in a kind of open com
petition to win this distinction. This was
never the case. Shortly after the election,
Jacqueline Kennedy wrote to several de
signers asking them to' submit sketches for
her consideration. The publicity about these
requests unleashed a flood of sketches from
leading designers and a rash of stories pic
turing hats, evening gowns, and sportswear
that were "ordered" by the President-elect's
wife. Everyone wanted to get into the act.
A great sigh of disappointment echoed in
the fashion world here and in Paris when .
Mrs. Kennedy's secretary announced the ap
pointment of Oleg Cassini to be the exclusive
White House designer for four years.
"Mrs. Kennedy," the announcement read,.'
"realizes that the clothes she wears are of
interest to the public, but she is distressed by
the implications of extravagance,, of over
emphasis of fashion in relation to her life,
' and of the misuse of her name by Arms from
whom she has not bought clothes. -'
, "For the next four years, Mrs. Kennedy's
clothes will be by Oleg Cassini. They will
be designed and made in America. She will
buy what is necessary, without extravagance
and you will often see her photographed
in the same outfit.".
It is not surprising that the dapper, 47-year-old
mustached Cassini is in a rosy daze.
."Before this happened, I was restless, bored,
unchallenged," he says.
C"i'" 'ill 1 n.ir-j i -ii " "
Dress
Desi
gner
for the
First
Lady
Now he works 17 and 18 hours a day, piles
appointment on appointment, has his entire
staff (he employs 450 people, including his
factory workers) in a happy dither, and
doesn't know when he will see daylight again.
With the name Oleg Cassini up there on
the New Frontier in glittering letters, big
business Bennies in other apparel lines are
eagerly knocking on his door, hoping for an
inside tip. Editors and reporters from tele
vision and the press are deluging him for
interviews, and many civic and. welfare out
fits want him to lend them his name. And
through it all are the girls.
Cassini has never made a secret of the fact
that he likes girls.' He was married for
10 years to actress Gene Tierney, and his
name was linked romantically with Grace
Kelly before she became a princess. Now, in
addition to the ebullient pleasure of traveling
to Washington to talk clothes with Jacqueline
Kennedy ("in French, naturally, which is the
language of fashion"), he is recognized on
the street by girls, receives enthusiastic tele
phone calls from them, even gets fan mail
directed to him in care of the White House.
There are only two flaws in the beautiful
picture. One is that he's so busy that he has
no time to enjoy being a celebrity. The other
is that association with the White House puts
a check on his outgoing personality. He has
always said what he thought in interviews ;
now he has to clear it with Press Secretary
Salinger. He has taken mischievous delight
in giving dresses in his collections slightly
suggestive names, and enlivening the show
ing by commenting, as a low-cut gown goes
by: "The natives are restless tonight."'
"I've never curbed my mind or tongue,"
he says. "Now my biggest trial is to be equal
to the trust. I have no, right or desire to
infringe. Yet I'm afraid it will have a perma
nent effect on my personality !"
Mrs. Kennedy is not the first well-known
and beautiful woman for whom he has de
signed clothes. Among the beauties who have
worn Cassini designs are Gene Tierney, Rita
Hayworth, Veronica Lake, Grace Kelly,
Meet the man who must help Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy dress in her traditional chicness without
By ISABELLA TAVES
4
family Wnktv, April 13, 1M1