The History of the Chanel Tweed Suit

The Chanel suit soon after caught the attention of some of the most influential women of all time. One of the most notable admirers of the suit, First Lady Jackie Kennedy , historically wore a pink Chanel suit on the day her husband United States President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas in 1963. The strawberry pink double-breasted suit was from the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1961 collection and was completed with a pillbox hat in typical Jackie O fashion. An oft-debated topic was the authenticity of the set, as many argued the suit was originally produced by Chez Ninon in 1961. It was later revealed that the suit was part of Chanel’s “line-for-line” system, with Chanel providing the supplies for Ninon. This method was for the purpose of appearing more patriotic by having the garment made on American soil rather than in France. This particular suit worn by the former first lady quickly became ingrained in U.S. history, as highly televised event of President Kennedy’s death led to nationwide recognition of the suit. In 2003, nine years after her mother’s death, Caroline Kennedy gifted the suit to the U.S., where it currently resides in the National Archives. It won’t be put on display until 2103 in order to avoid sensationalizing the horrific act.

A formal reproduction for the suit was later created in 2016 for Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Kennedy in the film Jackie. Reproduced by costume designer Madeline Fontaine, the Chanel team aided in the reproduction of the suit by providing some of the materials, including buttons and chains, and allowing the film to credit the label.