He came to the United States in 1936, moved to Hollywood where he designed costumes for Twentieth-Century Fox and other Hollywood studios and stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, Grace Kelly, and Gene Tierney to whom he was once married.

In 1961, he became first lady Jacqueline Kennedy's official couturier, making the pillbox hat internationally known and creating the “Camelot” look that became synonymous with well-crafted style. Mr. Cassini believes it was such a successful partnership because he understood both Kennedy's figure and taste. "A designer understands what she should wear, not what she thinks she should wear," he says. "I was successful because I listened." During the thousand days of the Kennedy administration, Mr. Cassini designed over 300 outfits for Jackie Kennedy—coats, dresses, evening gowns, suits, and day wear. He coordinated every aspect of her wardrobe, from shoes and hats to gloves and handbags.

He is also known for such looks as the sheath and A-line dress, the turtleneck for men, and the Nehru jacket.

Mr. Cassini is an avid animal-lover. He shares his Oyster Bay estate with a menagerie of pets including eighteen dogs, fifteen cats, thirty goats, six sheep, one half-ton sow, two Vietnamese potbellied pigs, one donkey, two parrots, twenty-two full-size horses, and two miniature horses.

He has been honored for his development and designs of "Evolutionary Fur," cruelty-free fur coats that are fully synthetic but retain the feel, warmth, and fashion of real fur. The line has provided what the market needs, a big-name designer to begin using faux fur instead of animal pelts. Cassini realized the importance of conservation after creating a leopard coat for Mrs. Kennedy. He later found out that over 250,000 leopards died in the early sixties and swore to revolutionize fur in fashion.

At 80, Cassini decided he would try his hand at harness horse racing—a pastime he gave up only a couple of years ago over concerns over the dangers. "I have sections of things in my life to make it more exciting," he says. Pointing to a photograph in his office of himself in his color-coordinated jockey's uniform he says inspired his designs at the time, Cassini adds, "I got some very nice sportswear out of it."

Click here to see some of Mr. Cassini’s designs for Jacqueline Kennedy in the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s online exhibition “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years—Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum”

Click below to read New York Magazine’s 2005 “The Look Book” column with Mr. Cassini
http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/shopping/fashion/columns/look/10767/

Click below to see photos of the 1974 “Cassini” Edition Matador, a car which Mr. Cassini designed for AMC.
http://www.arcticboy.com/Pages/arcticboysmatador4.html