Oleg Cassini

Cassini moved from Florence, Italy to New York, New York in the midst of the Great Depression in 1936. Cassini became an American citizen in 1942 and then enlisted in the Armed Service during WWII. In 1960 Jacqueline Kennedy named Cassini to be her principal fashion designer. One of the first pieces he designed for Mrs. Kennedy was the gown that she wore for President Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.

Mr. Cassini did encounter critics during his time designing for Mrs. Kennedy. Some people thought that Cassini was copying French designs, but these accusations never materialized.

Cassini also designed for other stars, including Grace Kelly. Cassini’s autobiography was published in 1987, entitled “In My Own Fashion.” In the years before his death, Cassini’s designs had been less recognized, but he continued to have a popular and successful wedding dress line and a more recent sports wear line.

Cassini died on Long Island, New York on March 17, 2006. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living fashion designer in the history of American design. His career spanned for over seventy decades.