GRACE KELLY FASHION
PRINCESS GRACE OF MONACO
BECAME A STYLE ICON OF
THE 20TH CENTURY SHAPING
FASHION TRENDS.
The Princess, many times listed among the
most stylish celebrities, followed fashion
trends, but never forgot about her elegant
eternal look. Despite the ever-changing fash-
ion, she preferred classic outfits from design-
ers like Madame Grès and Balenciaga. She
was also a client of Chanel, Yves Saint Lau-
rent, Givenchy and supported cou-
turiers from Monaco and
Nice.
The Kelly bag by Hermès named after
Grace Kelly is now an expensive status
symbol.
GRACE, THE PRINCESS
OF MONACO
B
efore moving to Europe, Grace
Kelly had a love for the French
fashion house, Christian Dior,
which opened its boutique in New York
in 1948. Grace’s new life and the role of
the Princess of Monaco required coop-
eration with new designers and brands,
particularly, from France.
And Grace didn’t wait long to put on an
outfit made by a French designer. On the
occasion of the wedding celebrations held
in Monte-Carlo, the Princess appeared in a
sumptuous dress by Antonio Castillo from
the Parisian house Lanvin-Castillo. The Prin-
cess wore it several times for official recep-
tions.
Her daily wardrobe included creations of
several French designers, but Grace had a
preference for Christian Dior. The designer
personally created for her suits for formal
meetings and evening dresses for official vis-
its and receptions. Being a loyal client of the
brand, Grace collaborated with Marc Bohan,
who became artistic director of the House af-
ter its founder’s death in 1957. Princess Grace
unconditionally trusted Dior’s designers,
62 / Hello Monaco Winter 2019–2020
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Grace Kelly's
Cartier diamond
engagement ring
during the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, af-
ter the announcement of her engagement
with Prince Rainier III, and during the pre-
wedding events in Monaco.
Only a few public appearances were
enough for the handbag to be named in
honour of the star. In the 1960s it became a
symbol of a special social status, since few
could afford it. And the length of the wait-
ing list said a lot about the prestige of the
«Kelly» handbag.
Also, Grace was part of the so-called «sun-
glasses set». Together with Brigitte Bardot
and Jacqueline Kennedy, the Princess of Mo-
naco made the glasses so popular that some
American women with excellent eye sight
wore them in order to be in vogue. By 1980,
the Princess’ collection consisted of 45 pairs
created by Oliver Goldsmith of London.
PRINCESS GRACE’S
JEWELS: A SAVVY
COMBINATION OF
LUXURY AND POETRY
«T
he pearl is the queen of gems and
the gem for queens». Princess Grace
showed a clear predilection for
these little wonders named «Tears of Aphrodite»
by the ancient Romans. The Princess of Hanover
thus paid an elegant tribute to her mother wear-
ing a sumptuous necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels
at the last Rose Ball. Princess Caroline opted for
a pearl necklace gifted by Prince Rainier to his
fiancée just before their marriage in 1956. An
elegant diamond adornment was a delightful
accessory to her black dress by Chanel.
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believing that their creations fully reflected
her style. In addition, Prince Rainier’s wife
chose eye-catching dresses designed by Bo-
han for costume balls.
http://www.thejewelleryeditor.com
Talking about the choice of outfits, the
Princess once said: «Twice a year, I think
about what clothes I need in the upcoming
months. Then, I usually ask Parisian fashion
houses to send me some sketches».
RIGHT DOWN
TO THE LAST DETAIL:
ACCESSORIES AND JEWELS
OF PRINCESS GRACE
P
robably one the most well-known
accessories which has been associ-
ated with Grace Kelly for more than
40 years, is the iconic Hermès handbag. In
the mid-50s, large bags entered everyday
women's fashion. This trend was strength-
ened even more by Grace Kelly, who was
many times seen with her Hermès handbag:
Grace Kelly in Marc Bohan