CBK Quotes

“Another element of his design philosophy is one he adopted from the ancient Japanese theory wabi-sabi, which is an “acceptance of the world as an intransient entity,” or in layman’s terms, it’s finding beauty in all that is imperfect, incomplete, and impermanent within nature. From wabi comes wa: the goal of total unity or harmony which is the ideal realization of the maxim “less is more,” humble by choice, not materialistic and peaceful. All our lives—as was Carolyn’s—should aim to be wabi-sabi, an acceptance of our imperfections which ultimately leads to perfection. Mr. Yamamoto compares the thought to reading a book—if you are a good interpreter, you can read between the spaces and lines, understanding more than the words themselves.”
― Sunita Kamir Nair, CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion

“What I am saying is that it’s important to consider who, what, how, where, when, and why you’re buying an item. You should love what you buy and not dispose of it soon after. I also like the idea of owning something that is beautiful, timeless, and lasts forever.”
― Sunita Kamir Nair, CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion

“I have my own uniform: for my shirt, I have five of the same; for my trousers, I have ten of the same. Each time I design the perfect piece and I choose to wear only that, perhaps that is what sustainability is, you know?”
― Sunita Kamir Nair, CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion

“Chanel’s color choice—black, which historically had been worn by ladies in mourning—was now a canny and provocative reminder to men of their maids or shopgirls who provided other services outside of their vocational bounds. Imagine, the gentleman in his home, his lady of the house and maid wearing similar dresses? Social equanimity, economic whitewashing, and warped seduction combined in one dress.”
― Sunita Kamir Nair, CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion