Jocelyn Wildenstein, who was dubbed “Catwoman” thanks to her plastic surgeries, died at the age of 84 on Dec. 31. Here’s everything to know about the socialite.
Jocelyn Wildenstein has left her mark on the world.
The death of the Swiss socialite—who passed away from a pulmonary embolism on Dec. 31 at the age of 84—has sparked renewed interest in her life as the “Catwoman.”
Jocelyn received the moniker thanks to her dramatic plastic surgeries, which gave her a unique, cat-like look.
She rose to prominence in 1999 during her divorce from art dealer Alec Wildenstein, which saw her receive one of the largest divorce settlements in history.
Curious to learn more about Jocelyn? Keep reading.
Jocelyn Wildenstein was born Jocelyne Périsset in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Aug. 5, 1940. She married art dealer Alec Wildenstein in 1978. The two eloped to Las Vegas after meeting in Africa the year before.
Jocelyn gained fame thanks in part to her life as a socialite, as well as her heavily publicized divorce from Alec—which was settled in 1999—and her subsequent and dramatic cosmetic surgeries.
In her divorce settlement from Alec, Jocelyn was awarded $2.5 billion, according to Reuters, and $100 million for 13 years afterward.
However, she filed for bankruptcy in 2018, claiming that her trust had been guaranteed by a Diego Velázquez painting, which she said turned out to be a forgery, as well as a Cézanne piece that was worth less than expected.
“I was extremely happy,” she told Page Six at the time. “I got a lifetime trust with millions in it. And that trust now is in default.”
Jocelyn and Alec had two children together: daughter Diane and son Alec Jr.
Jocelyn never remarried, but had been with partner Lloyd Klein since 2003. The fashion designer would often gush about Jocelyn, telling Interview Magazine in 2023 about the clinic she built for animals in Africa, as well as a school she created for young people.
“She’s known for plastic surgery,” Lloyd said, “but I don’t know that this is what she should be known for because she did a lot of incredible things in her life. Major, major, major achievements.”
Jocelyn’s obsession with plastic surgery began in 1979 when she and Alec went in for his-and-hers eye-lifts, per a 1998 Vanity Fair interview.
According to Alec, “She was crazy. I would always find out last. She was thinking that she could fix her face like a piece of furniture. Skin does not work that way. But she wouldn’t listen.”
Jocelyn had previously claimed that she got multiple facelifts because her ex-husband “hates to be with old people.” However, she admitted to Vanity Fair that he did not force her to get cosmetic surgery.
“He never pushed me,” she said. “No, he all the time told me that I look very young.”
Jocelyn was nicknamed “Catwoman”—as well as “The Bride of Wildenstein”—due to her multiple cosmetic procedures, which gave her a unique, cat-like look. Friends suspected she was trying to recreate the face of a jungle cat, and as Jocelyn told Vanity Fair, “The lynx has perfect eyes.”
However, she also noted that her unique eye shape came naturally, adding, “If I show you pictures of my grandmother, what you see is these eyes—cat eyes—and high cheekbones.”
Jocelyn died of a pulmonary embolism on Dec. 31, 2024 at the age of 84, longtime partner Lloyd confirmed.
“We had a nice happy hour the same night,” he told People in an interview published Jan. 1. “We were getting ready for the new year, and we took a little nap just to look good before getting dressed.”
Lloyd explained that Jocelyn’s phlebitis diagnosis—which causes an inflammation of the veins in her legs—caused the pulmonary embolism that ultimately killed her.
“Because of her phlebitis, the legs were very, very swollen, and the blood was blocked, and there was no oxygen in the brain,” he added. “When I wake up, I said, ‘Jocelyn, we have to wake up, we have to get dressed,’ and she was cold and she was dead.”
To see more of Jocelyn over the years, keep reading.
1998
Jocelyn Wildenstein was a Swiss socialite known for her divorce from art dealer Alec Wildenstein and her extensive plastic surgery.
1999
Her divorce was finalized in 1999, the same year she posed for these photos.
1999
Jocelyn smiled for the cameras outside the New York State Supreme Court.
2004
The socialite was a figure on the fashion scene, seen here attending “Chie Chic,” which benefited The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.
2006
Jocelyn posed alongside fashion designer Lloyd Klein, who she started dating in 2003.
2006
Dubbed “Catwoman” thanks to her cosmetic procedures, Jocelyn wasn’t shy about showing off her famous face.
2015
Jocelyn claimed that her cat-like eyes were inherited from her grandmother.
2017
She and Lloyd attended many events together over the years, including this party at the Baccarat Hotel in New York City.
2019
Lloyd confirmed her death from a pulmonary embolism on Dec. 31 at the age of 84.
2022
The designer couldn’t help but gush about Jocelyn over the years, telling Interview Magazine in 2023, “She’s known for plastic surgery, but I don’t know that this is what she should be known for because she did a lot of incredible things in her life. Major, major, major achievements.”
Source: www.eonline.com