The original verison of this post had two glaring errors—Grace Gummer plays Caroline Kennedy, not Lee Radziwill. And Lee's son died a few weeks after the JFK Jr's plane crash, not before. I'm HORRIFIED, please forgive me!
Fun fact, and something I will eternally regret - I moved to New York from London in the fall of 1998 to start up the US office of the ad agency I worked for at the time - Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). We camped out in rooms at the Tribeca Film Centre until I found us a loft office in Chelsea. We held our BBH New York office opening party in July 1999. It was very cool - we partnered with Dazed and Confused, our DJ was Jarvis Cocker, lots of models attended, and at one point one of my staff rushed up to me and said Cindy Cindy Cindy! JFK Jr is here! And he was! With his leg in a boot. Staff member said, go have your photo taken with him! I came over all British and said, no, let him have his privacy, I can't possibly do that. John Hegarty, my boss, went 'I can!' and went over and chatted to him and got his pic taken. And three days later, his plane went down. We may have possibly been his last public social engagement. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT PICTURE TAKEN! 😭
No - someone brought him. It was a very cool party, if I do say so myself as the hostess :) - due to the Dazed & Confused partnership, so he would've come through someone they invited.
CINDY! This story is incredible. (Especially the Jarvis Cocker detail, ha.) Does your boss still have the photo? Was JFK Jr. as dashing as person as I thought he was?
Loved this Derek! You summed up exactly how I've been feeling about the show. As a long time CBK/Kennedy devotee (earlier Kennedys to clarify, not the current iteration), I've struggled so much with devouring the show every Friday, while also feeling guilt for enjoying it knowing it's hurting real life people who have lived through the trauma. It's a tough one but you summed it all up so succinctly, loved reading this!
I keep reminding myself two things can be true—we can love the show and get lost in the sweet nostalgia, and we can be feel hmmmm some of this ain’t right. Ha
Yes the 90’s, the golden age of print. Big expense accounts, big money for shoots around the world. Big big fun. I’m one of the lucky ones. And I knew CBK casually. She was very very special. I sit on the fence with this one, I love the show but I also love my Schlossberg friends a whole lot more.
I have to remind myself (and my friends) that two things can be true—the show can celebrate a golden era of New York, and it can make us feel like hmmm I don’t know about that thisssssss ha
I am as obssesed as you with Love Story , I have always loved them both, I admit sometimes felt angry with some episodes but I agree with you ; its just a show! So I will see it again and enjoy it , and at the same time allow me some nostalgia for them not being alive and kicking, two icons , two symbols🧡
Loved this piece and so agree with you, there is no nuance left in this world! absolutely love your newsletter! I keep missing you at events to say this in person but I absolultely love your newsletter, one of my weekly must reads. Hope we get the chance to meet soon!
Please do! I tried to catch you at Charles Finch Chanel Oscar event and missed you but we should connect for sure, we have many mutual friends I think! I will DM you in IG!
Funny you would have loved to be in NYC in the nineties. I spent that whole decade in NYC starting my fashion career. I was a designer buyer at Saks and went to the Calvin Klein showroom many times. God, I wish we had OOTD back then-would be great to have that visual record (tho I still have some pieces and shoes). Thanks for making me appreciate what we did have though.
I agree with your point of view. Everyone is so critical of everything that there is so little room for all the shades of life’s colors. One thing no one has mentioned: maybe we are obsessed with this show because it was not another thriller about a killer. Anyway, here is my take on it as a person their “age” https://theartofstories.substack.com/p/love-story-jfk-jr-and-carolyn-bessette?r=q730l&utm_medium=ios
Fantastic piece of writing 👏 I really enjoyed reading. I too was obsessed. I bought up every magazine I could; poured over the pictures. I think it was their natural style that I was intrigued with. I’m loving the show- subscribed to Disney here in Australia just so I could watch it! But it also doesn’t feel right. I’m glad Hannah aired her feelings. Hemingway’s portrayal may have been accurate but not sure it was necessary?? I do like the attention it’s bringing to living an analogue life. Thanks for a great read.
I loved the show - I was one of the viewers who stayed for Calvin, and the incandescent lighting! I’m grateful I learned early how the show took liberties with the story, because many of the characters made me tense. I imagine they were easier to love irl; the show felt internally inconsistent in the devotion the protagonists showed towards the red flag characters. The ending felt too fast, but that part seems true to life. 💔
The original verison of this post had two glaring errors—Grace Gummer plays Caroline Kennedy, not Lee Radziwill. And Lee's son died a few weeks after the JFK Jr's plane crash, not before. I'm HORRIFIED, please forgive me!
Actually, it was all a test, and congratulations to all the people who texted and emailed me about the errors—you PASSED!
Son, thanks for the memories; enjoyed as always! When do you sleep—only your mom would note the time your piece was published!💕
Hi mommmmmmmm
Hi Derek's mom! 👋 I'm really enjoying your son's writing. Also I love the intra-family byplay here on Substack. 😁
Fun fact, and something I will eternally regret - I moved to New York from London in the fall of 1998 to start up the US office of the ad agency I worked for at the time - Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). We camped out in rooms at the Tribeca Film Centre until I found us a loft office in Chelsea. We held our BBH New York office opening party in July 1999. It was very cool - we partnered with Dazed and Confused, our DJ was Jarvis Cocker, lots of models attended, and at one point one of my staff rushed up to me and said Cindy Cindy Cindy! JFK Jr is here! And he was! With his leg in a boot. Staff member said, go have your photo taken with him! I came over all British and said, no, let him have his privacy, I can't possibly do that. John Hegarty, my boss, went 'I can!' and went over and chatted to him and got his pic taken. And three days later, his plane went down. We may have possibly been his last public social engagement. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT PICTURE TAKEN! 😭
I have many more questions, ha
I have no idea where those pics are now, have to try and dig them up!
WE MUST FIND THEM
And why was he at the party? Was George a client?
No - someone brought him. It was a very cool party, if I do say so myself as the hostess :) - due to the Dazed & Confused partnership, so he would've come through someone they invited.
CINDY! This story is incredible. (Especially the Jarvis Cocker detail, ha.) Does your boss still have the photo? Was JFK Jr. as dashing as person as I thought he was?
Ohhhhhh yes :)
Loved this Derek! You summed up exactly how I've been feeling about the show. As a long time CBK/Kennedy devotee (earlier Kennedys to clarify, not the current iteration), I've struggled so much with devouring the show every Friday, while also feeling guilt for enjoying it knowing it's hurting real life people who have lived through the trauma. It's a tough one but you summed it all up so succinctly, loved reading this!
I keep reminding myself two things can be true—we can love the show and get lost in the sweet nostalgia, and we can be feel hmmmm some of this ain’t right. Ha
The beauty of nuance!
MAKE AMERICA NUANCED AGAIN
Yes the 90’s, the golden age of print. Big expense accounts, big money for shoots around the world. Big big fun. I’m one of the lucky ones. And I knew CBK casually. She was very very special. I sit on the fence with this one, I love the show but I also love my Schlossberg friends a whole lot more.
I have to remind myself (and my friends) that two things can be true—the show can celebrate a golden era of New York, and it can make us feel like hmmm I don’t know about that thisssssss ha
Agreed. It checks a lot of boxes! XOX
I am as obssesed as you with Love Story , I have always loved them both, I admit sometimes felt angry with some episodes but I agree with you ; its just a show! So I will see it again and enjoy it , and at the same time allow me some nostalgia for them not being alive and kicking, two icons , two symbols🧡
Two things can be trueeeeeeee! Thanks for reading, Silvi
Hi Derek! You actually ~can~ see parts of their TriBeCa loft if you wish. Actor and director Ed Burns purchased the loft after the couples deaths and later used it in his film, Newlyweds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=88iVbh7cUQnl1FkS&v=3VpW9N2SqAE&feature=youtu.be
First of all, you've blown my mind with this information. I knew Christy and Ed lived in Tribeca, but didn't realize it was that loft.
And second, was this filmed on a Blackberry?
Loved this post!! Spot on! And likewise I fully remember where I was when the news of the missing plane broke the Greek tv stations.
And I love the show. The clothes, the atmosphere, the 90s and the most handsome couple of all times!
The soundtrack alone makes me swoon! Thank you for reading ;)
Oops. Grace Gummer plays Caroline Kennedy not Lee Radizwell
Corrected! Argh, the problem with writing late at night and self publishing. Alas.
Loved this piece and so agree with you, there is no nuance left in this world! absolutely love your newsletter! I keep missing you at events to say this in person but I absolultely love your newsletter, one of my weekly must reads. Hope we get the chance to meet soon!
Nuance! I miss it so much. Ha.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll come say hi the next time our cross paths :)
Please do! I tried to catch you at Charles Finch Chanel Oscar event and missed you but we should connect for sure, we have many mutual friends I think! I will DM you in IG!
Funny you would have loved to be in NYC in the nineties. I spent that whole decade in NYC starting my fashion career. I was a designer buyer at Saks and went to the Calvin Klein showroom many times. God, I wish we had OOTD back then-would be great to have that visual record (tho I still have some pieces and shoes). Thanks for making me appreciate what we did have though.
It’s incredible to see so many of the 90s references come back, isn’t it? You did it first! :)
And little did we know how digital would change everything in life!!
Maybe it’s better we didn’t know, ha…
I agree with your point of view. Everyone is so critical of everything that there is so little room for all the shades of life’s colors. One thing no one has mentioned: maybe we are obsessed with this show because it was not another thriller about a killer. Anyway, here is my take on it as a person their “age” https://theartofstories.substack.com/p/love-story-jfk-jr-and-carolyn-bessette?r=q730l&utm_medium=ios
I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right. The only villain was fate.
Fantastic piece of writing 👏 I really enjoyed reading. I too was obsessed. I bought up every magazine I could; poured over the pictures. I think it was their natural style that I was intrigued with. I’m loving the show- subscribed to Disney here in Australia just so I could watch it! But it also doesn’t feel right. I’m glad Hannah aired her feelings. Hemingway’s portrayal may have been accurate but not sure it was necessary?? I do like the attention it’s bringing to living an analogue life. Thanks for a great read.
Thank you for reading. I thought Daryl’s essay was airtight
I enjoyed every word <3
Thank you for reading!!
I loved the show - I was one of the viewers who stayed for Calvin, and the incandescent lighting! I’m grateful I learned early how the show took liberties with the story, because many of the characters made me tense. I imagine they were easier to love irl; the show felt internally inconsistent in the devotion the protagonists showed towards the red flag characters. The ending felt too fast, but that part seems true to life. 💔
When I started in fashion, I remember the first time I went to the CK offices on 39th Street. It was like a temple of minimalism!
I’d like to see that too! The photos of the LA Toteme store look similarly intriguing (I haven’t visited in person yet).
And jeez, the soundtrack delighted every pore of my 90’s self!
Mine too! It was a religious experience