Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is perhaps the most mysterious style muse.
Despite a hard cover-up, the PR maven burst into the limelight when she married John F. Kennedy Jr., and has since become a deified figure in the fashion industry.
The tape of Bessette Kennedy speaking lasts less than a minute, but she and her husband were photographed endlessly by paparazzi before her tragic death in 1999, and those photos were posted on countless women’s mood boards for fashion inspiration.
CBK, as he became known, worked at Calvin Klein during his lifetime and was beloved for his commitment to a ’90s minimalist aesthetic that included lots of Prada, headbands, loafers, and crisp, clean lines.
Ryan Murphy’s new FX show, Love Story, focuses on a young couple’s tempestuous romance and tragic death, and it’s also a true testament to their enduring status as fashion icons. But when producers released the first look images last summer, fans, including some famous celebrity stylists, were immediately furious, claiming that the show’s wardrobe looked “unsuitable” and “wrong.”
According to Bessette Kennedy’s real-life hairstylist and friend Brad Johns, actress Sarah Pidgeon’s hair also didn’t suit the role at all.
“Her hair wasn’t white, it wasn’t tanned, and she hated the idea of having ashy hair. I was completely against that too and never would have done it,” he told Page Six Style at the time.
In response to the backlash, Murphy replaced costume designers and brought in a team of experts to perfect Bessette Kennedy’s signature look. Experts say this look will remain more relevant than ever in 2026.
“Her influence has influenced so many women, especially with the rise of the ‘quiet luxury’ trend. I feel like she invented quiet luxury. For many fashion lovers, she is a timeless reference for clean, modest dressing,” says Janet Mandel, whose eponymous luxury fashion rental showroom stocks archival looks from top designers.
“Names like Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis have a longer historical influence,” Mandel said, while Bessette Kennedy is “very influential” in “the modern minimalist fashion world.”
Why does Bessette Kennedy’s wardrobe still resonate more than 25 years after her death? Not to mention her taste.
“She is the blueprint for ‘cool girl style,’ so we get a lot of requests for ‘in style,’ which translates into great tailoring and unique silhouettes,” says Tab Vintage founder Alexis Novak.
“She truly had a timeless style. All of her looks were just as cool to wear today. She loved Yohji Yamamoto and Calvin Klein, which were chic and classic and effortless.”
Novak claims that Bessette Kennedy is “up there” among some of the most requested names (which, she says, also includes Chloe Sevigny and Cher), especially when it comes to brides.
“They love her wedding dress and you see it on mood boards a lot,” Novak said of the bias-cut Narciso Rodriguez slip dress that CBK wore to her 1996 wedding.
Meanwhile, Mandel sees CBK closet staples surviving, including Levi’s bootcut jeans, Manolo Blahnik pumps, leopard print pieces, men’s suit jackets, slip dresses, motorcycle jackets and classic Chanel bags.
“Her influence has been going on since the ’90s,” Mandel says. “With recent cultural moments accelerating interest, Gen Z and the modern trend cycle embracing her aesthetic, her style feels timeless rather than outdated.”
According to Fashion Mania, searches for Prada have increased by 66% year-over-year since the trailer for Love Story was released.
With three episodes currently available and more to come, including one documenting the couple’s secret Cumberland Island, Georgia wedding, we can only imagine demand will continue to skyrocket.
