‘Catwoman’ Jocelyn Wildenstein goes high fashion with Balenciaga debut

Jocelyn Wildenstein, nicknamed ‘catwoman’ by the media for her feline appearance, could be Balenciaga’s latest runway star. Wildenstein is a socialite and former ex-wife of billionaire Alec Wildensteinand and while she may be a style icon herself, A Balenciaga Fall 2022 runway probably isn’t where you’d expect to find her.

Last night the star captioned a post on Instagram “See you tomorrow @balenciaga” which means she’ll likely be at the couture show on the same date. The show will coincide with the opening of Balenciaga’s latest Paris couture store.

Wildenstein has has kept a relatively low profile since filing for bankruptcy in 2018 While married to Mr. Wildenstein, she purchased a $350,000 Chanel dress, designed in collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld. She owned a pet cheetah, Siri, and a pet lynx, Bastet. To match, she worked with Cartier and Roger Guillochon to design a collection of feline-inspired jewellery that was later sold by Sotheby’s for $1 million.

Despite her undeniable flair, Wildenstein is largely mocked by the press and the public for her surgery, which she said her ex-husband exaggerated and painted as the reason for their divorce. Her catlike appearance led a number of publications to refer to her as “Catwoman”, “The Lion Queen” and “The Bride of Wildenstein” — though Wildenstein herself has denied having any cosmetic surgery, and instead attributes her looks to her Swiss heritage.