Arbiters of American Style
C.Z. GUEST Few have better exemplified great American style than C.Z. Guest. She was classically beautiful- tall, blonde, and trim, with cool blue eyes, pale skin, and a strong jawline that matched her self-assured demeanor. She is forever remembered for her impeccable taste, sharp wit, and enduring sense of style. Born Lucy Douglas Cochrane in 1920, her brother nicknamed her “Sissy”, which she embraced and later transformed into “C.Z.”—a moniker that eventually became part of her persona. The daughter of a prominent Boston family, C.Z. refused to fall into the fold of expectations. After graduating from the exclusive Fermata School (an all-girls boarding school in Aiken, SC), she was voted glamour girl of the Massachusetts North Shore in 1939. The title sparked her interest with the stage, leading to a performance in Broadway’s 1944 Zigfield Follies. She moved to Holywood and spent six months signed with 20th Century Fox (although she never appeared in a film). She dated movie stars (Victor J. Mature, Erroll Flynn…) and posed for famous artists—before eventually marrying handsome polo player Winston Frederick Churchill Guest. The two married in Havana, Cuba in 1947 (Ernest Hemingway was the best man). Of her three-time, World Champion Polo player husband (who was a cousin of England’s Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill), C.Z. once said, “I was absolutely crazy about him. My God, he was devastating”. The couple split their time between Palm Beach, FL and Old Westbury, NY where equestrian C.Z. rode horses and kept immaculate gardens. She was often seen wearing elegant outfits by Mainbocher (to whom she remained loyal for his simple styles and fine tailoring), or jodhpurs and riding boots paired with a white T-shirt or a fitted button-down—her unfussy, clean-cut “look” became the standard of All-American style.
Dennis Basso and Cornelia Guest walk the runway during the designer’s Spring-Summer 2024 runway show at 583 Park Avenue. (Courtesy of CFDA)
C.Z. had two children, a son, Alexander, and a daughter, Cornelia. Cornelia not only inherited her mother’s blonde hair and beauty, but she also shares her sense of adventure and zest for life. At the 1981-82 Waldorf Astoria’s annual Debutante Cotillion benefitting the Infirmary-Beekman Downtown Hospital, Cornelia and C.Z. decided to pass on the portion where debutantes carry candles and align crouched on the ground in white dresses—opting instead for the more relaxed scene at Studio 54 (why should Cornelia sit on a dusty floor in her pretty Carolina Herrera gown?). Cornelia danced the night away (although after slipping on the dance floor, ended up in a dirty dress and a trip to Madame Paulette’s dry cleaner the following day).
Cornelia shares her mother’s love of dogs and animals (Cornelia has long been associated with the Humane Society of New York), the outdoors, gardening, and theater (she’s appeared in Twin Peaks and American Horror Stories, to name a few). She is an accomplished equestrian, and naturally—she has inherited her mother’s sense of style. Sporty and outdoorsy by day, effortlessly chic by night. Having grown up taking style tips from Halston, and with access to her mother’s closet and friends like Carolina Herrera, fashion was always part of her life.
Like C.Z., Cornelia is a good friend and loyal follower of the people she believes in—one of whom is the vibrantly talented designer, Dennis Basso. Cornelia first met Basso when C.Z. took teenaged Cornelia to see his show at The Regency Hotel in 1983. The two became fast friends and before long were hitting the town together, enjoying nights that started with dinner at Le Cirque or “21”, and ended in dancing at Le Club or Studio 54.
For his Spring-Summer 2024 collection, Dennis Basso was inspired by “the style and grace of great American families, especially C.Z. and Cornelia Guest”. Known for his perpetual spirit and unqualified glamour, Basso looked to a photo of the mother-daughter duo from the 1981 Met Gala, artfully weaving it into his latest runway show. Trends may come and go, but as the designer and his muse walked hand-in-hand down the runway, one everlasting truth seemed clear—along with forty years of friendship, Cornelia Guest and Dennis Basso share an eye for style that withstands the test of time.