Jocelyn Wildenstein died on Tuesday, December 31. She was 84.
A report by AFP stated that Lloyd Klein, the partner of Wildenstein, shared that she passed away in Paris due to a pulmonary embolism while staying in a palace, as indicated by Paris Match. A pulmonary embolism is a condition where a blood clot obstructs blood flow in a lung artery according to the Mayo Clinic.
An “icon is gone,” Klein told the outlet, noting he is in “pain” over the loss of Wildenstein.
Wildenstein, previously known as Jocelyne Périsset, gained notoriety for undergoing extensive plastic surgery that resulted in her resembling a cat, earning her the nickname “Catwoman.”
After her first surgery in the late ’70s, fans began comparing Wildenstein’s eye lift to that of a lynx, which he had as a pet.
Jocelyn was also recognized for her relationship with Alec Wildenstein, a wealthy art dealer. They tied the knot in 1978 but parted ways in 1999, which attracted significant media attention due to their divorce and subsequent legal disputes.
Alec told Vanity Fair at the time of their split that he had no say in how much surgery his wife had, despite reports that he encouraged her to change her appearance.
“She was crazy. I would always find out last,” he alleged, according to The Times. “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 told The Times in June 2023 that Alec “hired a publicist and paid a plastic surgeon to certify that I completely changed my face” so he could “win the divorce.”
However, it was Jocelyn — who was also called “the Bride of Wildenstein” in the press because of her surgeries — who won in the end. She was reportedly awarded $2.5 billion in the divorce.
She allegedly received an additional $100 million for each of the next 13 years. “They will live happily ever after — but separately,” Alec’s lawyer allegedly said at the time, per The Times. (Alec died in 2008 after a battle with cancer.)
Jocelyn moved on with Klein in 2003, whom she met after attending one of his Lloyd Klein Couture fashion shows. The designer reportedly proposed to Jocelyn in 2017 at the Versace Mansion in Miami.
In 2023, Klein claimed that Jocelyn had run out of money. She later alleged she hadn’t received any payments from the Wildensteins since 2015, which resulted in her filing for bankruptcy three years later.
“I have a huge problem with my settlement,” Jocelyn told The Times in June 2023. “Since eight years, they have completely cut me off.” Her lack of funds led Jocelyn to star in her own HBO docuseries in 2023.
Jocelyn is survived by her and Alec’s children, son Alec Jr. and daughter Diane.
