Jacqueline de Ribes died Tuesday at the age of 96.
Dubbed the “last queen of Paris,” the French countess and muse to designers Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino Garavani was an enduring symbol of Parisian sophistication and elegance. She often arrived at high society galas in outfits she created herself and became a longtime fixture of the International Best Dressed List, ascending to its Hall of Fame in 1962.
In 1983, De Ribes launched her own fashion label to some critical and commercial success, attracting orders from the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue and clients including Cher, Joan Collins and Nancy Reagan. In 2015, her life and style were the subject of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, featuring couture, ready-to-wear and fancy-dress creations from her personal archive.
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New Met Exhibit Celebrates Style of Jacqueline De Ribes
The latest exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute opens this week, celebrating the style of French fashion figure Jacqueline de Ribes.