Narciso Rodriguez began his fashion career in the 1980s before transitioning to a role at Calvin Klein
NEED TO KNOW
After famously designing Carolyn Bessette's wedding dress, he created his own eponymous label
The designer is now married with children
Few people in this world can say they've had the honor of designing the bride's gown for a "Kennedy Wedding" — butNarciso Rodriguezis among that exclusive group.
The designer, who graduated from Parsons School of Design, famously madeCarolyn Bessette'ssilk slip dressfor her1996 weddingto political heirJohn F. Kennedy Jr.Now, the moment is being portrayed inLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, in whichTonatiuhplays Rodriguez.
During a March 2026 conversation withThe Cut, Rodriguez opened up about how his life changed after gaining recognition for designing the famous dress.
"It was very different," he said. "I love my work and the craft, and I've always been very focused on sketching and doing the work. The fabulous designer image in the press is not, and wasn't, my goal or my dream."
Rodriguez went on to speak about the "invasive" attention it brought, saying, "I'm happy to be backstage, making the clothes. All of a sudden, I was very front of stage. It was hard to navigate."
So, where is Narciso Rodriguez now? Here's everything to know about his life after designing Carolyn Bessette's wedding dress.
His fashion career began in the 1980s
According toThe New York Times, Rodriguez got his start in fashion in the 1980s, when he worked on Seventh Avenue as Donna Karan's assistant at Anne Klein. He later transitioned to a job atCalvin Klein, which is also where he met Bessette, whose job at the time was to look after V.I.P. clients.
During a February 2026 conversation withVogue, Rodriguez shared that after they met while working at Calvin Klein, he soon moved into her apartment building.
"Those were really great memorable years," he said.
Rodriguez gained recognition after designing Bessette's wedding dress in 1996
Rodriguez gained prominence in the industry after designing his friend's wedding dress for her ultra-private wedding to JFK Jr. According toThe New York Times, Rodriguez went to Cerutti in Paris to make her dress in secret.
During his conversation withVogue, he reflected on the moment his friend asked him to design her wedding dress.
"I remember going to Odeon and having cosmos with her at the bar and her telling me that John had proposed and would I make her dress?" he recalled. "It was such an exciting moment in all of our lives."
Rodriguez added, "It was the love of my life marrying the love of her life, and so it was a very heartfelt, emotional time."
Speaking of the honor withVogueeight years earlier, he called it a "great moment" in his career, as well as a "beautiful moment" in his personal life.
He launched his own label in 1997
In 1997, Rodriguez launched his eponymous label in Milan, per hiswebsite. That same year, he was appointed Design Director of Loewe's women's ready-to-wear collection, a role he held until 2001, when he moved his label — which now also includes fragrances — to New York.
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Bessette isn't the only high-profile woman he has dressed:Michelle Obamawore his work to numerous events, including when she made her final speech as First Lady in January 2017, perVogue.
Rodriguez's work has been recognized with several awards, including the Lifetime Achievement honor at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in June 2018.
After being honored by the Couture Council at the Museum of FIT that September, Rodriguez told PEOPLE that it "means so much" to him.
"It's a great moment of peace and clarity. I feel all the love," he continued.
Rodriguez married his husband in 2013
While Rodriguez is known for designing Bessette's wedding dress, he tied the knot himself in June 2013, when he married Thomas Tolan, perVogue.
He had been private about his long-term relationship with Tolan at that point, but toldThe New York Timestwo years earlier that they often "cook together, open a bottle of red wine, and if it's nice, we'll sit on the terrace and watch the sunset."
According to Tolan'sLinkedIn, he works as an advertising and marketing executive.
Where is Narciso Rodriguez now?
The designer shuttered his label amid the COVID-19 pandemic, though he continued to design for private clients and run his fragrance business with Shiseido, perElle.
According to the outlet, he underwent a "personal reinvention" during that time, focusing on creating more balance between his career and personal life, including raising his twins.
He has since returned to the industry with a new approach: "I didn't want to fall into the same trap of department stores and deadlines and shows," he told the outlet in March 2025.
Despite having received "interesting proposals," Rodriguez said he "couldn't imagine being on a plane, putting on shows in Europe, and missing out on one day of my kids' life."
The brand is still around today, continuing to grow with the popularity of its fragrance collections.
In March 2026, following the release ofLove Story's sixth episode, "The Wedding," Rodriguez reflected on the early days of his career while speaking withThe Cut.
"We worked around the clock and the fashion shows were exhausting and all that stuff," he said of working at Calvin Klein. "Now I'm like,Wow, that was incredible.What an incredible experience in my lifetime."
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