Did Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Really Discover Kate Moss? The True Story Behind the “Love Story” Scene
Did Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Really Discover Kate Moss? The True Story Behind the “Love Story” Scene
Rachel RaposasThu, February 26, 2026 at 11:37 PM UTC
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Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (left); Kate Moss (right)Credit: Evan Agostini/Liaison via Getty; Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty -
Love Story depicts the moment Carolyn Bessette advocated for Kate Moss to be a part of Calvin Klein's "Obsession" campaign
While Bessette didn't exactly "discover" the supermodel, the show's version is more accurate than one might realize
The campaign was a massive success for both the company and Moss, as depicted in the show
In the first episode of Love Story, fans got a glimpse of an exciting tidbit of fashion history — Carolyn Bessette's role in Kate Moss's big modeling break. As it turns out, the on-screen moment was fairly accurate to how things unfolded in real life.
Love Story's first episode saw Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) and Calvin Klein (Alessandro Nivola) trying to decide who would best fit the Calvin Klein "Obsession" underwear campaign. Together, they go through a pile of headshots until Carolyn settles on one: Kate's. The moment spoke to Carolyn's ability to have her finger on the pulse of the fashion scene, particularly in relation to Calvin Klein's needs.
Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette'Credit: FX
Though the scene suggests Bessette "discovered" Moss, in reality Moss had already begun her modeling career and had some notable accomplishments under her belt. Prior to the infamous underwear campaign, Moss walked her first runway in 1992 at the Dolce & Gabbana show in Milan, donning a gold brocade suit and wide-brimmed hat.
Otherwise, the Love Story scene was fairly accurate to history. According to Maureen Callahan's book Champagne Supernovas, per Town and Country, Bessette and the brand's art director Fabien Baron convinced Klein to take a chance on Moss for what would become the project that launched her to international stardom.
The 1993 campaign, in which Moss featured alongside Mark Wahlberg, promoted Calvin Klein's underwear and fragrance lines, just as the brand was nearing bankruptcy. But the massive success of the shoot effectively reversed the fortunes of the company.
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"Obsession" was controversial at the time. Many were critical of the campaign's nudity, and Moss's thin frame (which in hindsight helped fuel the era's now-contentious "heroin chic" aesthetic) also drew scrutiny. Some magazines banned the campaign from its pages, Vogue reported.
Yet in some ways, the controversy added to the public's interest in the campaign, and as depicted in Love Story, both Moss and Calvin Klein became style sensations as a result.
Kate Moss in 1994Credit: David Turner/WWD/Penske Media via Getty
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Love Story follows the exciting, high-profile romance between John F. Kennedy Jr., son of the late president, and Bessette, whose major role in the age's fashion captivated the public when her relationship with Kennedy thrust her into a massive spotlight.
The first four episodes of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette are now streaming on Hulu. New episodes debut Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
