Key Takeaways
- Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy met Narciso Rodriguez while the two were both working at Calvin Klein.
- At one point, both of them lived in the same apartment building in the East Village.
- The designer was mentored by Oscar de la Renta when he was a student at the Parsons School for Design.
- In addition to Bessette-Kennedy's iconic gown, Rodriguez also designed wedding dresses for Julianna Margulies and Claire Danes.
When Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy tied the knot with John F. Kennedy Jr. on September 21, 1996, she wore a silk crepe sleeveless slip dress cut on the bias. The chic and sophisticated piece featured a subtle cowl neck—and was paired with sheer gloves, a silk tulle veil, and Manolo Blahnik shoes for the occassion. However, rather than turn to an established designer to craft the piece, the publicist tapped her friend Narciso Rodriguez for the task. The final piece is arguably what made Rodriguez a household name. "It was a great moment in my career, but also a beautiful moment in my personal life," the designer told Vogue in 2018. "Someone I loved very much asked me to make the most important dress of her life."
The piece was estimated to cost $40,000 to make. However, Rodriguez reportedly gifted the ensemble to his close friend. He also crafted the beaded dress she wore to her rehearsal dinner. A year after the Kennedy wedding, Rodriguez launched his namesake line—and quickly became one of the most well-known designers. Here, we break down everything to know about the creative, who was also considered one of the publicist's close friends.
He's the son of first-generation Cuban immigrants.
While Rodriguez now calls New York City home, he was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. His parents were both first-generation immigrants from Cuba. In 2016, the designer spoke about how his mother and father didn't want him to pursue a career in fashion. "My parents never understood why I didn’t want to be a doctor or lawyer," he told Forbes. "They're Cuban immigrants who wanted to give their children the American dream, and, to them, that was more of what the dream entailed."
Oscar de la Renta was his mentor.
When Rodriguez was a student at the Parsons School of Design, Oscar de la Renta was his mentor. "He loved that I was this young Latin man trying to get ahead," he told Elle. The gesture made an impact on the creative. Once he came into a position of power within the industry, Rodriguez sought to do the same, becoming a mentor to Willy Chavarria, who served as the senior vice president of design at Calvin Klein until 2024.
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He worked for Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, and Loewe.
Following his graduation from Parsons, Rodriguez worked for Donna Karan at Anne Klein before later moving to Calvin Klein. It was there where he first met Bessette-Kennedy, who was worked in public relations for the designer. When photos of the wedding dress he created for her were publicly released, leaders in the industry took notice. In 1997, he became the women's ready-to-wear designer at Loewe, a position he held until 2001.
He and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy lived in the same apartment building.
Even though Rodriguez first met the publicist at Calvin Klein, the two remained friends after he left the designer—and even lived in the same apartment building in the East Village, according to Town & Country. Bessette-Kennedy reportedly broke the news of her engagement to the creative at The Odeon, a restaurant in Tribeca.
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He designed wedding dresses for Julianna Margulies and Claire Danes.
While Rodriguez may be the most famous for being the creative vision behind Bessette-Kennedy's wedding dress, he also crafted the gowns for two other famous brides: Julianna Margulies and Claire Danes. Margulies tied the knot in Lenox, Massachusetts on November 10, 2007, while Danes said "I do" to Hugh Dancy in 2009. "I'm so privileged," the Homeland actress said to People on her decision to have Rodriguez to create her ensemble. "I'm collaborating a little bit, but I'm just trusting him implicitly. I'm offing my ideas, but they always pale in comparison to his."
He also creates fragrances.
In addition to being a trendsetter in the world of fashion, Rodriguez launched a fragrance—Narciso Rodriguez for Her—in 2003. Since then, he's debuted a number of other popular perfumes, including Narciso Poudree, Narciso Rouge, and Musc Noir For Her.
He's the father of twins.
In 2017, the designer became the father to twins: Ivy and Callum. While he keeps his familial life relatively private, it's no secret that his children play an important role in his life. Every day, he stops work at 2:45 p.m. in order to pick the duo up from school, he told Town & Country in 2024.
