Jocelyn Perisset Wildenstein (née Périsset; August 5, 1945) is a Swiss-born American socialite known for her extensive cosmetic surgery (with nicknames such as "Catwoman" and "The Bride Of Wildenstein" from news outlets), her divorce from late billionaire businessman Alec Wildenstein in 1999, and for her extravagant lifestyleâ€"she once calculated her yearly telephone bill at $60,000 and food and wine costs at $547,000.
Early life
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Jocelyne Périsset was born in Lausanne, Switzerland; her father worked in a sporting goods store. She began dating Cyril Piguet, a Swiss movie producer, at the age of 17. She later lived in Paris with Italian French filmmaker Sergio Gobbi. There she became a skilled hunter and pilot. She was introduced to Alec Wildenstein by Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi at a shooting weekend at the Wildenstein African ranch "Ol Jogi".
Marriage and divorce
Jocelyn Wildenstein married Alec N. Wildenstein when they were both in their 30s. He was a member of the Wildenstein familyâ€"a wealthy family of renowned art dealers. The divorce was not amicable. Mrs. Wildenstein walked in on her husband and a 19-year-old Russian model in her bedroom at the Wildenstein New York home, and he threatened her with a gun. This resulted in a night in jail for Alec Wildenstein. The presiding judge, Marilyn Diamond, received death threats in the mail during the proceedings. The marital home in New York was later sold by Ms. Wildenstein to real estate developer Janna Bullock for $13 million and required substantial renovation. During her divorce, the judge stipulated that she could not use any alimony payments for further cosmetic surgery. She received $2.5 billion in the divorce settlement and $100 million each year for 13 years after. During the divorce proceedings, Ms. Wildenstein enlisted the services of Ed Rollins for public relations assistance and (at various times) both Bernard Clair and Kenneth Godt for legal counsel. Together, the Wildensteins had two children.
Surgeries over the years
Wildenstein has had extensive cosmetic surgeries to her face creating a "very unnatural appearance." The surgeries intended to elicit a more catlike look, according to her ex-husband. Wildenstein is rumored to have spent $4 million on plastic surgery, apparently done to please her ex-husband, who loved big cats. Despite her unusual appearance, Wildenstein is reported to be "ecstatic with her work. She feels beautiful. She looks in the mirror and she loves what she sees. She got exactly what she wanted."
References
Notes
Bibliography â€" books
BIbliography â€" web pages
