As one of the fashion capitals of the world, New York City has been home to a long list of style icons over the decades and centuries, from 1990s supermodels to street artists to the glamorous women of the Gilded Age. Of course, sisters Jackie Onassis Kennedy and Lee Radziwill spent much of their lives there, with this Upper East Side apartment currently listed for $14.9 million once serving as the latter’s residence.
Though it’s not exactly clear when Radziwill purchased the traditional, pre-war co-op, she moved there in the 1970s after a stint calling London home. Her Fifth Avenue home was then featured in a 1975 issue of Architectural Digest , with Radziwill giving a peek into her life there and her design sensibilities before eventually selling it in 1979.
Radziwill told the publication back then, “I’ve always believed in classic, neutral proportions; they make it possible to create almost any spatial effect you want. Much as I love New York, I didn’t want a typical Manhattan interior. So many of them are as cold and slick as a hotel suite. I wanted to indicate that an individual lives here, a person with strong feelings about things.”
She also touched on her penchant for collecting items to use again and again in homes no matter where she moved, whether to the Hamptons or Paris. The tastemaker and socialite shared, “You see, my design philosophy is essentially European. I abhor the American idea of starting with a tabula rasa every few years and getting rid of everything. When I buy something, I do so with the intention of keeping it forever.”
Today, the two-bedroom duplex apartment perched on the 5th and 6th floors of the circa-1924 building is still a prime example of Upper East Side elegance. Located just steps from the Met, it’s intricate moldings, Central Park Views, and wood-paneled library could woo affluent buyers in any era. The 4,600-square-foot apartment also offers a bright living room, formal dining room, and a spacious kitchen for Radziwill-worthy hosting.
Adam D. Modlin and Andrew Nierenberg of The Modlin Group holds the refined listing.
