Jocelyn Wildenstein, a name synonymous with wealth, scandal, and feline-inspired beauty, passed away on December 31 under circumstances as dramatic as the life she led.
Known globally as “Catwoman” for her strikingly altered appearance, Jocelyn died in her sleep in a Paris hotel at the age of 84. Her passing was confirmed by her longtime partner, fashion designer Lloyd Klein, who described her as “an icon” and revealed that her death was due to a pulmonary embolism. Join HELLO! as we look into the complex and troubled life of the socialite before her death.
A life of grandeur and drama
Jocelyn was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, around 1940, to a department store buyer and a housewife. Her early life was a far cry from the opulence she later embraced. By her teenage years, she was dating a Swiss movie producer and had moved to Paris, setting the stage for a jet-setting lifestyle that would eventually introduce her to Alec Wildenstein, her future husband and the scion of a billionaire French art-dealing dynasty.
The pair met in 1977 at Alec’s 66,000-acre ranch in Kenya, a chance encounter that began with a lion hunt and culminated in a whirlwind romance. They married in Las Vegas the following year and went on to share two children and an extravagant life. Their property portfolio included a château in France, a sprawling Kenyan ranch, and a 25,000-square-foot Manhattan townhouse. Jocelyn became a socialite fixture, mingling with the world’s elite and indulging in her love of luxury.
© InstagramThe tumultuous marriage and public divorce
Jocelyn’s marriage to Alec was as turbulent as it was lavish. According to Alec, Jocelyn’s fascination with cosmetic surgery began shortly after their wedding, with the couple undergoing “his-and-her” eyelifts. Over time, Jocelyn’s surgeries became more extreme, culminating in the dramatic feline features that earned her international fame. Alec claimed she was “trying to fix her face like a piece of furniture,” but Jocelyn insisted her unique looks were hereditary, pointing to photos of her grandmother for comparison.
© Getty ImagesTheir relationship unraveled in spectacular fashion. In 1997, Alec was arrested after allegedly threatening Jocelyn with a gun during a confrontation involving another woman. The couple’s divorce was one of the most expensive in history, with Jocelyn receiving a $2.5 billion settlement and $100 million annually for 13 years. However, the settlement came with a caveat: she was forbidden from using the money for further cosmetic surgery.
© Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesFinancial troubles and legal woes
Despite her staggering divorce settlement, Jocelyn’s financial troubles became increasingly apparent in later years. In 2018, she filed for bankruptcy, citing debts that included $268,000 owed to Regal Jewelry and Gift Shop for unreturned gems, plus $75,928 in interest.
When the debt went unpaid, the firm pursued legal action, leading to a writ of bodily attachment issued by Judge Migna Sanchez-Llorens in October 2023. The order authorized sheriffs in Florida to arrest Jocelyn and detain her until she complied with court orders.
© Aissaoui Nacer / MEGAAt the time of her death, Jocelyn was also facing eviction from her Miami Beach apartment in a separate legal case. She had reportedly taken temporary residence in Paris, leaving questions about whether she planned to address her mounting legal issues in the U.S.
A love story marked by controversy
In 2003, Jocelyn found love again with Lloyd, a fashion designer 20 years her junior. Their relationship, however, was far from conventional. The couple made headlines in 2016 when a domestic dispute in Jocelyn’s Trump World Tower apartment led to both being arrested. Despite the altercation, they reconciled, with Lloyd gifting Jocelyn two extravagant apology rings, including a 200-carat emerald-and-diamond creation.
© AKGSTheir love story continued with a proposal in 2017 at Miami’s Versace Mansion, where the couple had often socialized with their late friend Gianni Versace. However, their relationship remained tumultuous, with another arrest following a heated argument later that year. Still, the pair stayed together and were reportedly considering a reality show before Jocelyn’s untimely death.
The legacy of “Catwoman”
Jocelyn’s feline-inspired transformation became her signature, captivating the public and media alike. She owned exotic pets, including a pet lynx and a black leopard, and famously kept two tigers in a bulletproof glass enclosure at the Kenyan ranch. Her appearance, which she insisted was natural, became a cultural phenomenon and a topic of endless speculation.
Despite the controversies surrounding her life, Jocelyn maintained a loyal following, with over 1.1 million Instagram fans. She embraced her unique identity, often joking about her striking features and deflecting criticism with confidence.
