Jocelyn Wildenstein
Jocelyn Wildenstein | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jocelyne Alice Périsset 7 September 1940 Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Died | 31 December 2024 (aged 84) Paris, France |
| Occupation | Socialite |
| Known for | Extensive cosmetic surgery, high-profile divorce from Alec Wildenstein |
Jocelyn Wildenstein (born Jocelyne Alice Périsset; 7 September 1940 – 31 December 2024) was a Swiss socialite distinguished by her numerous cosmetic procedures that gave her a unique feline facial appearance. She attracted widespread media coverage following her contentious 1999 divorce from billionaire art dealer Alec Wildenstein and became known for her lavish lifestyle and subsequent bankruptcy declaration.
Early life and relationships
Jocelyne Alice Périsset was born in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her father, Armand Périsset, was employed at a sporting goods store, while her mother, Liliane, was a homemaker. At age 17, she dated Cyril Piguet, a Swiss producer of the 1964 film Un commerce tranquille, and later resided in Paris with Italian-French filmmaker Sergio Gobbi, during which time she developed skills in hunting and piloting.
In 1977, Périsset encountered Alec N. Wildenstein—heir to a wealthy art-dealing dynasty—through Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi during a shooting weekend in Kenya. The couple eloped to Las Vegas in 1978 and had two children together. Their highly publicized and bitter divorce in 1999 revealed Jocelyn’s discovery of Alec’s affair with a 21-year-old Russian model; he subsequently threatened her with a firearm, leading to his short incarceration. The presiding judge on the case received death threats amid the proceedings and prohibited Jocelyn from using alimony funds for additional cosmetic surgeries.
Throughout the divorce process, Jocelyn retained public relations strategist Ed Rollins along with attorneys Bernard Clair and Kenneth Godt. In 2003, she began a relationship with fashion designer Lloyd Klein.
Cosmetic surgery
Wildenstein underwent numerous facial cosmetic enhancements. Her striking feline-like visage earned her media monikers such as "Catwoman," "The Lion Queen," and "The Bride of Wildenstein." While she refuted claims of excessive plastic surgery—crediting her appearance to Swiss ancestry—she acknowledged investing millions in surgical procedures designed to accentuate her eyes’ cat-like shape, performed jointly with her husband. Alec Wildenstein commented, "She believed she could restore her face like refurbishing furniture. Skin doesn’t respond that way, but she refused to listen."
Finances
Known for an opulent lifestyle, Wildenstein’s annual telephone expenses reached $60,000, while food and wine costs totaled $547,000 yearly. Her divorce settlement awarded her $2.5 billion (with rumors suggesting as much as $3.8 billion), plus $100 million per year for 13 years. The divorce judge forbade the use of alimony payments for further cosmetic procedures. Subsequently, she sold the couple’s New York City residence for $13 million.
In 2018, Wildenstein filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, declaring no funds in bank accounts and listing assets valued at $16.39 million against debts of $6.38 million. By 2020, three Trump Tower apartments she owned were repossessed. In 2023, she attributed her financial difficulties to complications with the post-divorce trust and alleged that Alec Wildenstein’s family ceased payments in 2015.
Death
Jocelyn Wildenstein passed away due to a pulmonary embolism at a Paris hotel on 31 December 2024 at the age of 84.
Bibliography – Books
Bibliography – Periodicals