Calvin Klein's Ex Kelly Klein Details Last Day With Carolyn Bessette

Love Story's Sarah Pidgeon Reveals Surprising Way She Tapped Into Carolyn Bessette (Exclusive)

Kelly Klein thought she had more time with Carolyn Besette Kennedy.

Ahead of the 27th anniversary of Carolyn’s death alongside her husband John F. Kennedy Jr. and sister Lauren Bessette in a 1999 plane crash, Kelly—who was married to Calvin Klein for two decades before their 2006 split—reflected on the legacy her friend left behind.

“I didn’t know today would have been the last day I saw you,” the photographer began a July 15 Instagram post. “If you only knew what was going on down here. You have influenced so many of our young generation in only the most positive ways. Simple elegant minimal style! Just you and your natural being.”

Accompanying the heartfelt post were two photos of Carolyn, the first of which was a candid of the publicist Kelly said was taken during a trip to Paris. The second saw Carolyn dressed in a yellow and lace slip dress as part of a fitting for Calvin Klein, where she worked from 1998 to 1996.

Kelly concluded her post, “Rest in peace Carolyn ! You are greatly missed.”

Carolyn’s career began at Calvin Klein as a sales associate at the Chestnut Hill Mall store in Newton, Massachusetts. She soon climbed the ranks at the company, working in celebrity sales, public relations and show-production roles.

Gary Gershoff/WireImage & Justin Ide

While Caroyln and John’s relationship has been a cornerstone of the pop culture canon, both before and after their death, their tragic story reached new audiences with the 2026 series Love Story from Ryan Murphy.

The series saw Sarah Pidgeon step into the role of Carolyn, while Paul Anthony Kelly was her onscreen partner as John. (Kelly and Calvin were portrayed by actors Leila George and Alessandro Nivola.)

For Sarah, filming in New York City—where Carolyn and John’s love story blossomed—helped her feel like she was truly walking in Carolyn’s footsteps.

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

"We shot in so many places around New York City—you know, in the East Village and Tribeca—all of her favorite haunts," Sarah told E! News at the Actor Awards in March. "In those moments where, geographically, we were in the same places, I felt quite connected to her."

The 30-year-old—who earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal—also did a lot of research on her own into the life and fame of Carolyn before filming commenced.

"To learn so much about Carolyn in preparation for the show, and then on top of that, being able to embody her—she has so much power and has such strong convictions," Sarah reflected. "Her humor, her kindness—I felt very grateful to be able to, literally and figuratively, walk in her shoes every day."

For more insight on the FX series, read on.

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