Quiet elegance memoir – “CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion” by Sunita Kumar Nair (2023)
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Dear readers, if you are drawn to films and TV shows, you have likely encountered the work of American writer and producer Ryan Murphy. His recent projects include the miniseries “Halston” (2021) which depicts the stylish and legendary late American fashion designer, Roy Halston Frowick, tracing his journey from launching his glamorous fashion house to his dazzling Studio-54 years, and the dramatic highs and lows of his career and fate; and the anthology “Feud”, whose first season titled “Bette and Joan” (2017), dramatizes the legendary rivalry between the late actresses Joan Crawford and Bette Davis during the making of the psychological thriller “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”. More recently came the second season, “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” (2024), which chronicles the fallout between the late American novelist, Truman Capote, and a circle of glamorous New York socialites known as “the swans”, tracing their journey from intimate confidantes to estranged enemies against a backdrop of high society style, fashion, and intense emotion — betrayal, anger, disappointment, vengeance, sadness, and abandonment.
I have been particularly captivated by his work that explores the glamour of legendary fashion designers, refined actresses, high-society figures, and contemporary intellectuals and writers, all brought to life through meticulous attention to detail. From the costume design and styling of each character to the elegant, period-perfect sets and the carefully paced narrative arcs that keep viewers returning for more, these series feel like reading a riveting memoir — only with a far more vivid, cinematic immediacy delivered by exceptional actors. Even for someone who lived through parts of these eras without knowing exactly what transpired behind the scenes, watching these stories unfold feels like opening the pages of history, but in motion.
A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to discover another new project from this celebrated producer: “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette”, a new TV series that follows the iconic late public figure — John F. Kennedy Jr., the late son of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy — and his wife, the eternally stylish American fashion publicist, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. The series, coinciding with Valentine’s Day, traces their relationship as a modern fairytale with all its highs and lows, right up to the tragic accident that ended their lives.
To me, Carolyn is one of the most fascinating style icons: a study in understated luxury and simplicity, with a chic, effortless elegance that epitomizes contemporary New York high fashion. Her career at American designer, Calvin Klein, naturally ties her to the brand’s aesthetic — modern, clean lines, quiet luxury expressed through fine materials, and a confident, independent spirit that feels at once slightly out of reach yet imbued with a gentle, understated allure. Perhaps because this was the fashion era I lived through and loved, this kind of minimalist elegance still occupies a special place in my mind and remains one of my favorite references when it comes to high fashion and refined menswear.
Even though Carolyn’s wardrobe may not directly associate with classic menswear, her effortless chic has become a major reference point for style and pop culture to this day. It also recalls the sleek, clean-lined, sophisticated minimalism in menswear that was popular in the 1990s and that I still adore: monochromatic and soothing palettes, luxurious materials, and precise tailoring, which made menswear pieces from designer brands such as Prada, Jil Sander, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Helmut Lang etc., highly coveted among high-fashion connoisseurs and style-savvy individuals. That is one reason I was so drawn to a coffee-table book I purchased about a month ago, titled “CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion”, a beautifully produced copy that enables me to revisit this late style icon and her endlessly refreshing, fuss-free elegance — what I like to think of as her crisp “CBK style” — through rich text and evocative photography.
Published by Abrams back in November 2023, this book is written by fashion and creative director, Sunita Kumar Nair, with a foreword by Gabriela Hearst, the award-winning New York–based Uruguayan designer who has dressed former U.S. First Lady Jill Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, and a preface by Edward Enninful, OBE, former editor-in-chief of British Vogue. This striking volume documents Carolyn’s timeless style and the subtle yet powerful way her sophisticated choices influenced the fashion world. It brings together carefully sourced photographs, never-before-published personal anecdotes from friends and family, and tributes from fashion luminaries such as Calvin Klein, Manolo Blahnik, Michael Kors, and Tory Burch etc., serving as a graceful homage to this legendary beauty, her aesthetic codes, and her enduring impact more than two decades after her passing.
While the details of her private life and romantic relationships remain largely mysterious to me, what moves me most is the way she carried herself through fashion — her poise, cultivated taste, and modern elegance. Her naturally long blonde hair, her signature red lips, and her composed demeanour together created a presence that made her one of the most memorable figures in fashion history, without ever clamouring for attention. Instead, she communicated who she was through a quiet discipline: her posture, her restraint, and her unwavering commitment to her own codes.
Throughout the book, every photograph of Carolyn feels like a rediscovered moment, reminding us not only of her existence as a style icon but also of how relevant her vision remains. Her carefully chosen pieces from luxury fashion houses — crafted in fine fabrics, with sophisticated silhouettes and discreetly luxurious finishes — fit her perfectly and often appear “simple” at first glance, yet, when one looks more closely, one begins to appreciate the thought and intention behind each choice, as if she were quietly writing and directing the film of her own life through clothes. Mastering this skill takes time and sensitivity, which makes it all the more compelling to me.
So how does this relate to refined menswear and even the art of living for modern gentlemen? The commitment to nurturing one’s sensitivity to fashion, style, and personal cultivation is not restricted by gender; I see these qualities as a powerful blueprint for men who wish to elevate themselves: to master their own sophisticated style by selecting refined clothing that reflects their individual character, aesthetics, and values. It means learning to filter out the surrounding noise with resilience, clarity, and conviction — even when that means going against trends or social expectations — just as Carolyn remained true to her personal style while maintaining her standards and refusing to settle for less. For the cultivated gentleman, this book becomes more than a beautiful copy; it is a quiet masterclass in coherence, discipline, and self-knowledge expressed through the way of dressing.
I often wonder: if this style icon were still with us today, how would her wardrobe have evolved? And what might her life look like now? In an era when many are enamoured with “quiet luxury” and “stealth wealth”, I genuinely believe Carolyn would stand as one of its defining figures, having championed this aesthetic decades long before it became a buzzword. Far from being forgotten or relegated to nostalgia, her renewed presence in the cultural conversation — through Ryan Murphy’s latest TV series and this thoughtful book — suggests that the revival of understated elegance and quiet-luxury chic is only just beginning, offering refined men a timeless reference point as they refine their own style and way of life.