An iconic Prada camel coat once worn by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy sold for $192,000 at auction, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate, according to fashion industry reports.
The single-breasted coat, designed by Prada and worn by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in 1997 and 1998, was offered with an estimate of $15,000 to $30,000 but ultimately fetched $192,000 when bidding closed March 3, according to a report published March 3 in Harper’s Bazaar.
The coat is one of the most widely photographed pieces from Bessette-Kennedy’s minimalist wardrobe. She was frequently seen wearing it in paparazzi images while walking in Tribeca with her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., during the late 1990s.
The coat had been gifted by Bessette-Kennedy to Rosemarie Terenzio, Kennedy Jr.’s former assistant, before later passing to a private owner who consigned it for sale, according to Harper’s Bazaar.
The auction, titled “Exceptional Fashion: including items from the wardrobe of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy,” included four pieces directly from Bessette-Kennedy’s wardrobe, three Prada coats, and a black dress by Yohji Yamamoto, along with 20 additional vintage pieces described as identical to items she wore.
A report published February 13 in Vogue detailed that 25 lots connected to Bessette-Kennedy’s wardrobe were assembled for the sale. It noted that some items from a private collector carried limited verifiable provenance.
The six-figure result reflects continued collector interest in Kennedy-related memorabilia. In 2024, three pieces associated with Bessette-Kennedy sold for a combined $177,600, according to Vogue’s reporting. In 2017, a Cartier watch owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sold for $379,500, according to reports at the time.
The sale also comes amid renewed public focus on Bessette-Kennedy due to FX’s limited series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, which dramatizes the couple’s relationship. The show is created by Connor Hines and executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, according to an FX program description. Episodes premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on FX and stream the following day on Hulu, according to the network.
