Jocelyn Wildenstein, the Swiss-born celebrity and socialite famously nicknamed “Catwoman,” has passed away at the age of 84. Known for her extensive cosmetic surgeries aimed at achieving feline-like features, Wildenstein died on Tuesday in Paris due to a pulmonary embolism. Her partner, fashion designer Lloyd Klein, shared the news through AFP, expressing his sadness over her passing. Wildenstein was last seen in public on December 18 in Paris, looking healthy as she smiled at onlookers while dressed in a fur jacket, leggings, boots, and black sunglasses.
Born Jocelyne Périsset, she rose from humble beginnings to marry French-American billionaire Alec N. Wildenstein in the late 1970s. Their union began after a chance meeting on a safari at the Wildenstein family’s ranch, Ol Jogi, in Kenya. Introduced by Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, Alec and Jocelyn bonded over their shared interest in wildlife.
Recalling one of their early encounters, she described how Alec hunted a lion that had been preying on antelope. “You must eat a part of the heart of your game,” she said of the experience, explaining it was a symbolic gesture to “take the power of the lion.”
Their whirlwind romance culminated in a Las Vegas elopement in 1978, and Jocelyn’s life quickly transformed into one of opulence. The Wildenstein family presided over Wildenstein & Co., a prestigious Paris-based art dealership, which afforded her access to extraordinary wealth and luxury. However, their marriage unraveled by 2000 amid allegations of Alec’s infidelity. The divorce was one of the most expensive in history, with Jocelyn receiving a staggering $2.5 billion settlement and an additional $100 million annually for 13 years.
A life marked by excess and change
Despite her financial windfall, Jocelyn’s fortunes dwindled over the years. Her lavish spending habits and continuous cosmetic surgeries left her unrecognizable by the 1990s and ultimately led to bankruptcy. She once described Africa as her “first love story,” reminiscing about her early years at Ol Jogi, where she helped build the ranch from scratch. In a recent flashback photo she shared, Jocelyn captioned it: “My early years at Ol Jogi building this beautiful ranch from scratch before having my children.”
Though her life was marked by excess and transformation, Jocelyn remained a prominent figure in high society circles. At the time of her death, she had over a million Instagram followers and described herself as an “art dealer,” maintaining a connection to the world that once defined her.