Oleg Cassini

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Oleg Cassini : biography

April 11, 1913 – March 17, 2006

Move to America

Oleg became engaged to a debutante in Rome, Anna Donnina Toeplitz, and subsequently left for America after winning a duel. Oleg sailed to America on the Saturnia and arrived in New York on Christmas Day 1936. His autobiography describes his possessions upon arrival in America as being limited to a tuxedo, two tennis rackets, a title and talent.

Cassini briefly worked as a political cartoonist in Washington DC upon his arrival prior to traveling to Hollywood CA.

Recognition

Milestones

In 1960, with his brother, society columnist, Igor, opens Le Club, which becomes the number one private club in the world with members, Gianni Agnelli, Maharajah of Jaipur, Stavros Niarchos, Aristotle Onassis, and Ray Stark. In 1960 Oleg Cassini is named personal couturier by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, launching the Jackie look in 1961.He was awarded the Chicago Gold Coast Award for Excellence in Design. In 1962, he is awarded the National Cystic Fibrosis Distinguished Service Citation.

In 1967, he created deep tonal shirts for men adding special colors where there had only been white. The sales of dress shirts raised dramatically, and the look is launched on the NBC Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Oleg signed Johnny Carson the first celebrity model and created the "Johnny Carson" line of Men’s wear. In 1968, the Peacock Revolution is hailed by Newsweek, wherein Cassini is credited with leading a revolution in men’s fashion worldwide. Nehru suits, The Blazer Look, The Blue Jean Look, The Western Look, The Battle Jacket Suit, and the Turtleneck with Tuxedo are subsequently launched by Peter Lawford modeling the look on the national TV show, The Mike Douglas Show. In 1968, Cassini returned to Italy and created Italian print collections and in 1969, he was awarded the Award Eccellenza in Disegno Milano, Italia. Cassini was often featured personally in advertisements for his fashion line, which won industry awards. Specifically, one advertisement featured Cassini in jacket and tie sans shirt stating "Oleg Cassini had to make his own shirts. Nothing around was good enough for him".

The "Competitors" Collection menswear campaign was also launched by Cassini. It featured icons of sport wearing Cassini including: Ted Turner for sailing, Bob Hope and Raymond Floyd for golf, Michael Jordan for basketball, Mario Andretti for racing, Gary Carter for baseball, Lynn Swann and Lawrence Taylor for football and Charlton Heston, Regis Philbin and Kenny Rogers for tennis.

In 2003 The Council of Fashion Designers of America Board of Directors noted Cassini’s extraordinary design achievements with their first ever, Board of Directors Special Tribute. The presentation was made to Oleg by President Stan Herman and Diane von Furstenberg.

Sportsman

Oleg Cassini excelled at tennis and competed seriously since his early days as a ranked Italian Junior Davis Cup player. His skill at tennis led to a fortunate design connection. Recounted in his autobiography, newly arrived in Hollywood, Cassini would play tennis at the prestigious West Side Tennis Club which led to a doubles game with the head of Paramount Pictures. Decades later, Cassini also created collections of printed and multi color tennis wear, bringing ‘color to the court’. He is noted for having outfitted the US Davis Cup team and for participating in celebrity pro-am tournaments such as the Alan King Tournament in Las Vegas. Cassini also participated and won the 5th Annual RFK Pro Celebrity Tennis Tournament in 1976. The silver winner’s cup was presented to him personally by Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Cassini competed professionally in the sport of harness racing. In 1985 he earned a professional harness racer license and won races at the Meadowlands Raceway, Yonkers Raceway, Freehold Raceway, Monticello Raceway and Roosevelt Raceway. Cassini received awards in recognition of his efforts to support equine charities from "HORSE" and "The Equine Society" which recognized Cassini with its Man of the year award.