Francois Zecca

Seen here is the work log of the Oleg Cassini Fashion House where Francois Zecca collaborated with Mr. Cassini to work on First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's favorite yellow wool/silk suit.

The First Lady first wore this suit to a luncheon with President and Madame de Gaulle at the Elysee Palace in Paris France on May 31, 1961 and to a luncheon with Prime Minister Harold Macmillan,in London, England on June 6, 1961. The following year, on June 28, 1962 she wore the suit to a ceremony celebrating the White House Guide book.

It is now on display at the JFK Library and Museum in Boston.

This was part of a large spring collection that Francois Zecca collaborated with designer Oleg Cassini in the very early 1960’s. During that time he sometimes would travel to Milan, sketch in hand, to have beautiful Italian silks made for the designs. Take note of the use of bell bottoms used way before they became popular in the later 60’s. The Egyptian inspired gown perhaps was a nod to the popular movie at the time starring . Often these sketches were accompanied with swatches of material to be used along with handwritten notes.

Now it's easier to send Francois Zecca a message.

Probably one of the most important pieces Francois worked on was First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy's inaugural gown. She wore it to the gala on January 19th, 1961. It now can be seen on display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

This letter from Oleg Cassini mentions their collaboration together for over seventeen years. Mrs. Zecca, who passed away in Los Angeles in 2013, kept in touch with Mr. Cassini long after Francois passed away in 1984. Their collaboration produced several hundred pieces for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.