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Ishani Sarkar

John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s timeless romance captivated the world in the 1990s. Now, a whole new generation is obsessing over the couple, thanks to FX’s Love Story.

The first season of the show, executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, focuses on the pair’s dizzying relationship unfolding under intense media scrutiny. It stars Tony-nominated actress Sarah Pidgeon as fashion publicist Carolyn Bessette and breakout talent Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr, son of former US president John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who worked as a lawyer and publisher.

Tragically, John-John and his wife passed away in a plane crash in 1999, only three years after tying the knot in 1996. Now, friends of the blonde beauty are saying there’s more to her than portrayed in the show.

Fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez, who was friends with Bessette and designed her custom US$40,000 wedding gown, said she was “strong. Authentic. Incredibly beautiful. And quite complex”, per Page Six. He told Vogue that they became close while working at Calvin Klein together and were neighbours. At one point, they even lived together in his flat.

Recalling the process of creating the dress for her special day, the 65-year-old, who was mentored by Oscar de la Renta at the Parsons School of Design, told Page Six, “It was a very personal experience,” adding that Bessette “knew what she wanted”. Out of the dresses he proposed, the then bride-to-be picked an “architectural” piece. “She pulled the neckline down, and a dress was born,” Rodriguez shared. Speaking to Vogue, he mused, “It was the love of my life marrying the love of her life, and so it was a very heartfelt, emotional time.”












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In 1997, Rodriguez launched his namesake brand, riding the wave of attention Bessette’s iconic wedding dress brought him. From the same year until 2001, he also designed women’s ready-to-wear collections for Loewe. After over two successful decades, during which time he debuted a Narciso Rodriguez fragrance collection and won several awards, the designer was forced to wind down his company’s operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, per Town & Country Mag.

Rodriguez then went through a “personal reinvention”, focusing on family, he told Elle. He served his core clients and kept his fragrance range alive with Shiseido. In 2024, the fashion industry was abuzz with news of his return. The New Jersey native, whose creations have been donned by stars like Julianna Margulies and Claire Danes, confirmed the same and told Elle in 2025 that he’s aiming to “create a collection that’s not on a deadline, and on [his] terms, and forge a new way forward”.












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Notably, models Imaan Hammam and Carolyn Murphy were spotted in archival Narciso Rodriguez at an Estée Lauder event recently, potentially hinting at the designer’s comeback.


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What happened to the designer of Carolyn Bessette’s wedding dress, Narciso Rodriguez?

Narciso Rodriguez designed Carolyn Bessette’s dress for her wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr.
Photos: @AFP; @vintage.daddios/Instagram

Love Story, starring Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly, was executive produced by Ryan Murphy. Photo: FX via AP

John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette were always in headlines. Photo: Liaison

Carolyn Bessette used to work for Calvin Klein. Photo: Getty Images

Narciso Rodriguez, winner of the lifetime achievement award, poses in the winner’s walk at the CFDA Fashion Awards at the Brooklyn Museum in June 2018, in New York. Photo: AP

Claire Danes and Narciso Rodriguez. Photo: AP

Meet Michael Bergin, the former Calvin Klein model who dated Carolyn Bessette, as told in Love Story

Michael Bergin wrote a book about his relationship with Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, who went on to marry JFK Jr. Photos: Getty Images, @therealmichaelbergin/Instagram

Carolyn Bessette was married to JFK Jr before their tragic death. Photo: @allforcarolyn/Instagram

Baywatch cast members Brooke Burns and Michael Bergin jog down the beach at Waikiki, in 1999. Photo: AP

The Other Man: John F. Kennedy Jr, Carolyn Bessette, and Me book was written by Michael Bergin. Photo: Handout

Michael Bergin lives a private life now. Photo: @therealmichaelbergin/Instagram

Meet Meryl Streep’s daughter, Grace Gummer, who plays Caroline Kennedy in Love Story

Grace Gummer and Paul Anthony Kelly, who play Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr, respectively, in Ryan Murphy’s Love Story. Photo: @gracejanegummer
/Instagram

Caroline Kennedy is part of the famous family. Photo: Kyodo

John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy were always in the spotlight. Photo: AP

Grace Gummer plays Caroline Kennedy in Love Story. Photo: Reuters

Meryl Streep’s kids live relatively private lives. Photo: Getty Images

Grace Gummer followed in her famous mum’s footsteps. Photo: Getty Images

Mark Ronson and Grace Gummer attend the premiere of FX’s Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette at Carnegie Hall last month, in New York. Photo: AP

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US-born Bridgerton star Michelle Mao was raised in Hong Kong and Beijing. Photo: @michelleforbreakfast/Instagram

Michelle Mao has worked in more than 40 productions. Photo: @michelleforbreakfast/Instagram

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FX’s Love Story is bringing back the nostalgia of JFK Jr. and Bessette’s romance – but what has her friend Narciso Rodriguez said about her?


What happened to the designer of Carolyn Bessette’s wedding dress, Narciso Rodriguez?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}FX’s Love Story is bringing back the nostalgia of JFK Jr. and Bessette’s romance – but what has her friend Narciso Rodriguez said about her?

FX’s Love Story is bringing back the nostalgia of JFK Jr. and Bessette’s romance – but what has her friend Narciso Rodriguez said about her?