Jocelyn Wildenstein’s former partner, Lloyd Klein, 58, steps out with a mystery woman – one year on from the socialite’s death aged 84

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A year after the death of socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein, her ex-partner Lloyd Klein was seen out with a new, unidentified woman.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I was there! I saw him – the legendary designer, he’s 58, can you believe it? – at the Costes party in Paris last night during Fashion Week. And get this – he wasn’t alone! He had this mysterious woman with him, I have no idea who she is, but she looked amazing. Everyone’s talking about it, and honestly, I’m still reeling!

He looked sharp in jeans, a white shirt, and a black blazer, paired with loafers. He walked in with his date, linking arms with them.

In January 2025, Lloyd publicly remembered his partner, Jocelyn, and their many years together after she passed away peacefully in her sleep on New Year’s Eve.

He told Page Six she was the love of his life and shared how much he misses her.

They began dating in 2003, but their relationship was troubled. In 2016, Wildenstein was arrested after reportedly cutting Klein’s face with scissors.

Lloyd described Jocelyn Wildenstein as the love of his life, praising her beauty. She became known as ‘Catwoman’ because years of cosmetic surgery gave her strikingly feline features.

Klein said sadly that he missed her constantly and still felt like he was living in a bad dream.

He also shared that he’d lost all joy in his life, but found comfort in knowing she didn’t experience pain and passed away with dignity and grace.

Klein, who shared a detail about what led to his fiancée’s death, attempted to correct the reported age she was when she died. He stated she was 79, not 84, as many sources claimed.

According to a recent obituary in The Times of London, the art dealer was born in 1940 and was 84 years old at the time of her death. However, other publications, including The New York Times, reported her birth year as 1945, making her 79.

Honestly, it was so obvious he was protective of Lila, especially when people started talking about her. It just broke my heart to see him get defensive about everything – the way she changed her look, all the rumors about her finances… he just wanted to shield her, and it was so sweet, even if it was a little sad. I totally get why he’d be that way, she deserved someone to defend her!

‘She doesn’t deserve to be ridiculed,’ he told Page Six.

Klein also stated that Wildenstein was definitely not financially ruined when she died, clarifying that this wasn’t true.

She stated that, unlike what her ex-husband, Alec N. Wildenstein, claimed, she never attempted to change her appearance to look more like a cat.

Alec mentioned Jocelyn wished to appear feline, but she already possessed that natural look, he said. He explained she had striking high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes, giving her a cat-like appearance.

He also suggested that Wildenstein was a pioneer of the celebrity plastic surgery trend, with many others following suit.

‘Maybe she was the first one doing what she did,’ he mused.

By the 1990s, Jocelyn looked completely different, with many people believing she had undergone extensive cosmetic surgery to change her appearance.

Her features included upturned eyes, a strong chin, and high cheekbones, leading some to say her face resembled that of a lion.

Although it was clear she had changed her appearance dramatically, Wildenstein surprisingly insisted she had never undergone plastic surgery.

Alec remarked on her appearance, telling Vanity Fair she was obsessed with changing it. He said she’d often keep him in the dark about procedures, and she seemed to believe she could simply ‘fix’ her face like an object. He explained that skin doesn’t work that way, but she didn’t heed his warnings.

She claimed that to win their divorce, Wildenstein not only hired a publicist but also paid a plastic surgeon to confirm he had drastically altered his appearance.

Lloyd had previously shared that he was shocked and saddened to learn of Wildenstein’s sudden death.

‘She died in her sleep very peacefully,’ he told People shortly after her death was confirmed.

It’s heartbreaking. After 21 years with the person I love, I went to bed with her expecting to celebrate New Year’s Eve, only to find she had passed away.

He recalled the hours leading up to her death, saying they’d enjoyed a pleasant happy hour and were preparing for the new year. They even took a short nap to freshen up before getting ready to go out.

He explained that she died from phlebitis, which happens when a blood clot blocks one or more veins, often in the legs, according to the Mayo Clinic.

He explained that her legs were extremely swollen due to phlebitis, which was blocking blood flow and depriving her brain of oxygen.

We were napping, and when I woke up, I realized something was wrong with Jocelyn. I tried to wake her and get her dressed, but she was cold and had passed away.

He continued: ‘It’s very sad. It’s extremely sad.’

Klein mentioned that this condition, which Wildenstein’s grandmother also experienced, didn’t interfere with their family’s holiday traditions in Paris.

He said that her health had been ‘perfect.’

He said they’d been at the Ritz Hotel two days earlier, enjoying dinner. Before that, they’d attended Chanel’s Fashion Week and said everything had been lovely.

About their holiday celebrations up until then, he said it was ‘beautiful.’

He said they were at the Ritz, throwing parties, and she was in fantastic health and looked great.

He mentioned they’d been enjoying time together in Paris, and that she was feeling great and really succeeding in her work.

After divorcing art collector and businessman Alec N. Wildenstein in 1999, Jocelyn Wildenstein became incredibly wealthy, reportedly receiving $2.5 billion in the settlement.

The settlement also instructed Alec to pay Jocelyn an additional $100 million per year.

I was so shocked to hear it, but apparently, after becoming incredibly wealthy, she lost everything. It’s said she spent years getting cosmetic procedures and indulging in a really lavish lifestyle, and it all just… disappeared.

In 2018, she declared bankruptcy, and it’s been reported that she lost ownership of three high-end apartments she had in Trump Tower as a result.

In a 2023 interview with the Times of London, Wildenstein stated she hadn’t earned any income for the past eight years, despite reportedly possessing millions of dollars in assets.

She told the publication she’s facing a serious issue with her settlement and hasn’t had any contact with Alex’s family for eight years.

Alec passed away in 2008, but payments kept being made until his family stopped them in 2015.

In 2018, Wildenstein told Page Six that she lost most of her fortune when a painting believed to be by Diego Velázquez – and held in a trust established as part of her divorce – was discovered to be a fake.

Adding to the recent surprises in the art world, a painting by Cézanne that experts predicted would fetch about $35 million at auction only sold for $4.7 million.

Klein believed a fake painting she received in her divorce from her ex-husband’s family was a major cause of her financial problems.

She lived a very luxurious life, but struggled when her income stopped. He explained that if she hadn’t been given a forgery as a gift, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

Wildenstein was living in Miami before moving to Paris, where she passed away late last year.

According to the Daily Mail, she’s facing serious financial trouble. A judge even warned her she could be arrested because she didn’t show up for a court hearing regarding a debt of $344,000.

According to Klein, Wildenstein’s lawyers are currently handling her remaining possessions. After all debts are settled, any remaining assets will be distributed to her children, Diane and Alec Jr.

The designer says he doesn’t want any possessions from her estate, he simply wants her to be remembered with respect after she’s gone.

Let me be clear: money wasn’t a factor in this relationship. As a leading fashion designer – I create custom pieces for a lot of incredible women – I’m already quite established. My client list speaks for itself, and includes names like Jane Fonda, Joan Collins, Faye Dunaway, and even Kim Kardashian. I’m fortunate to be in a position where I don’t need anything from a relationship financially.

Klein stated he did his best to support Wildenstein and allow her to continue living comfortably in her final years.

I did everything I could to make her happy, and we built a wonderful life together,” he explained. “If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

Klein said he hasn’t contacted Wildenstein’s children since she passed away, and it’s known they weren’t close to her.

He described Jocelyn as a devoted mother who went above and beyond for her children. She showered them with experiences, taking them on trips around the globe, and indulged them generously. He said she was everything a child could ask for in a mother.

Klein shared in the interview that he and Wildenstein went to a church in Paris a few days before her passing and a priest had given her a blessing during a nighttime service.

‘I am happy she had that blessing,’ he said.

After overcoming lymphoma in 2014, Klein playfully suggested he and Wildenstein imagined being buried together like ancient Egyptians, often comparing their relationship to that of Marc Antony and Cleopatra.

He had mentioned wanting to scatter her ashes at her Kenyan ranch, near where her parents are buried.

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2026-03-04 13:21