KENT, OH.- The Kent State University Museum presents its summer exhibition titled “Sparkle: The Style and Jewelry of Aileen Mehle.” In honor of the Kent State University Museum’s 40th anniversary, this exhibition pays tribute to Aileen Mehle, a friend of the museum founders and widely syndicated society columnist. The exhibition features evening dresses and jewelry from Mehle that is being displayed in the museum’s historic Higbee Gallery from July 18, 2025, through Aug. 23, 2026.

“Aileen Mehle had so much taste and enthusiasm that it is fitting to pay tribute to her as we celebrate 40 years of the Kent State University Museum,” stated Kent State University Museum Curator Sara Hume, Ph.D. “Her career as a journalist attests to her brilliant wit and driving work ethic, yet she took extraordinary care in presenting herself appropriately for the variety of social occasions she reported on. She is an underappreciated style icon who is finally getting her due.”

Mehle, who lived from 1918 to 2016, wrote under the pseudonym Suzy Knickerbocker and enjoyed a career spanning five decades – from the 1950s until her final column in 2005, which she wrote at the age of 87.

“This exhibition celebrates the sparkle of her style and the sparkle of her wit,” Hume said.

Mehle dressed in Pauline Trigère, Oscar de la Renta, Geoffrey Beene, Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy while wearing jewelry by David Webb, Cartier and Tiffany & Co. as well as bags by Judith Leiber and Bulgari.

The exhibition features nearly two dozen vintage David Webb pieces. “Aileen Mehle was the consummate David Webb collector: a self-assured woman of style who purchased countless treasures for herself and gave bejeweled gifts to her friends,” noted Levi Higgs, David Webb’s head of archives and brand heritage. “Her records tell the story of a gregarious woman-about-town with impeccable taste and who embodied a bold and courageous sense of self-expression.”

“Aileen Mehle was known for accessorizing her glamorous evening looks with dazzling statement jewelry,” said Kent State University Museum Collections Manager/Registrar Joanne Fenn, who co-curated the exhibition with Hume. “We are thrilled to debut her exceptional collection featuring work from influential jewelry designers such as Jean Schlumberger, Paloma Picasso, Bulgari and more. This exhibition promises to both inspire and engage students, offering a rare glimpse into the artistry and craftsmanship of these iconic creators.”

“In an era before everyone could turn to social media to discover who was going where or who was seeing whom, ‘Suzy,’ as Aileen Mehle was known to her devoted fans, kept us all abreast of the comings and goings – as well as the juicy scandals – of New York’s social set,” said Armand Limnander, executive editor of W. “Her dazzling jewelry and clothing collection is testament to the time in which she lived and the world she inhabited.”

Among the approximately 20 dresses from the 1960s through the 1990s mounted in the exhibition is the beaded dress by Nilo de Paul that she wore to Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in 1966 alongside a selection of her jewelry that range from vintage earrings from the 1930s to statement necklaces and bracelets from the 1980s.

“Aileen – aka Suzy – moved in rarefied circles, or should I say, rarefied circles moved around Aileen. She was, in the years she wrote for WWD, almost always bedecked in frills and froth, sometimes with a boa wrapped around her,” said James Fallon, chief content officer of Fairchild Media Group and WWD. “But those soft outfits covered a steely reporter whose eyes never missed anything and whose ears heard every whisper of affairs, scandals and the latest social gossip. She was repeatedly asked to write a tell-all book about her life but would always respond that she knew too many secrets to tell them all. It is a cliché to say someone is one of a kind, but in Aileen’s case, there is no better description.”

“This exhibition reflects the spirit of our 40th anniversary season – honoring our history, showcasing our extraordinary collection and articulating a bold and engaging vision for our future,” said Kent State University Museum Director Sarah Spinner Liska, Ph.D., J.D.

The “Sparkle: The Style and Jewelry of Aileen Mehle” exhibition includes a specially designed installation – an imagined, custom-built closet showcasing Mehle’s garments, offering an intimate and engaging glimpse into her iconic style.