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Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years—
Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
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Coat, 1961.
Oleg Cassini (b. France 1913).
Greige wool melton. John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
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More about the Exhibition Organizer
Hamish Bowles is recognized as one of the most respected authorities in the worlds of fashion and interior design. He was creative consultant at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with responsibility for organizing and mounting the Costume Institute exhibition "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years—Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum." He is editor of the catalogue that accompanied the exhibition.
"Jacqueline Kennedy is one of history's great style icons," said Mr. Bowles. "Her profound influence on the way an entire generation wanted to look, dress, and behave cannot be overestimated. She set the standards that American women strove to follow, and, on the world stage, provided a visual metaphor for the youth and promise of the Kennedy administration. She galvanized both the fashion world and the fashion press—Hollywood's preeminent designer, Edith Head, called her "the greatest single influence [on fashion] in history"—and Women's Wear Daily coined the phrase "Her Elegance" to denote her sovereign sway over the industry.
"Her influence as First Lady was primal and pervasive," Mr. Bowles continued, "both in the national consciousness and on the international stage, and has proved enduringly potent. This is a singular opportunity to bring together and explore so many different elements of that iconic style and substance, through a synergy of clothing, related objects, photography, and video."
In exploring all of the dimensions of her style legacy, Mr. Bowles noted, the exhibition featured clothing worn by Jacqueline Kennedy on the campaign trail, during the inaugural festivities, at the White House itself, and on state visits around the world. The exhibition acknowledged and investigated the profound impact of Jacqueline Kennedy's image, which dominated the last four decades of the 20th century and remains a continuing influence on our own.
Born in England in 1963, Mr. Bowles was educated at Saint Martin's School of Art and Design. He began his career at London's Harpers & Queen magazine in 1984, working as fashion editor and rising to style director in 1989. He left London in 1992 to join American Vogue in New York, where he serves as European Editor-at-Large. Mr. Bowles took a leave of absence from the magazine to work on the exhibition.
Since the early 1990s, Mr. Bowles has been an internationally renowned arbiter of style and design. In that role, he draws on the history of costume and haute couture to advocate understanding and appreciation of contemporary fashion and style development. His fascination has led him to amass a private collection of clothing by the world's greatest couturiers, from Charles Frederick Worth to John Galliano. As a lender to The Costume Institute, he took part in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibitions "Madame Grès" (1994), "Haute Couture" (1995), and "Christian Dior" (1996). He organized, with Diana Edkins, a photographic complement to the exhibition "Haute Couture" that was on view at the Gagosian Gallery from December 1995 through March 1996 after an initial showing during the Costume Institute benefit on December 4, 1995. He also lent significant support to organizing works by English designers for the Fashion Institute of Technology's exhibition "Fashion and Surrealism" (1987), organized by the late Richard Martin with Harold Koda and Laura Sinderbrand. His keen eye and sense of style have also contributed to the success of charitable events, such as "Seventh on Sale," a benefit for AIDS, and for the New York City Opera.
Mr. Bowles has written for and contributed to countless articles, reviews, and books on fashion history, art, lifestyle, and interior design. His lectures include "The Dandy" (1984) at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London; and "The Newest Art" (1998) and "The American Century: America's Fashion Ascendancy and Its Roots" (1999) at New York University.
Mr. Bowles resides both in Manhattan and Paris.
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