In 1951, the photographer Cecil Beaton captured an iconic series of portraits of the Bouvier sisters, Jacqueline (the future Jackie Kennedy Onassis) and Lee (the future Princess Lee Radziwill), for Vogue. Jackie was around 22 and Lee around 18 at the time.
The photos were staged to evoke the atmosphere of a debutante ball, marking the sisters’ official “coming out” into high society. While Jackie had already been named “Debutante of the Year” in 1947, this 1951 shoot for Vogue magazine served as a high-fashion introduction of the sisters as a duo.
Jackie wore a white silk organdie gown with a red faille sash, while Lee wore yellow and white tulle with yellow roses. The dresses were originally credited to Elizabeth Arden, but contemporary fashion historians often attribute the designs to Ann Lowe, the Black couturier who later designed Jackie’s wedding dress.
Beaton used an elaborate set with “extras,” couples in formal evening wear dancing in the background, to create a sense of movement and aristocratic glamour.
0 comments:
Post a Comment