Fashion and Couture
1939 Dorothy in Technicolor
2012 SOLD for $ 1.56M including premium
A dress that was screen worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz was sold for $ 480K including premium by Julien's Auctions on November 10, 2012. It had been introduced by the auction house in a nice pre sale video.
This costume is now estimated $ 800K for sale by Bonhams in New York on November 23, lot 67.
In the mean time a prop from the same movie achieved a great auction result when a skin of the Cowardly Lion was sold for $ 3.1M including premium by Bonhams on November 24, 2014.
The discussion below is based on my 2012 post with an additional comment concerning color movies.
A dream world can not become obsolete because, since its inception, it is timeless. Released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz became the most watched film in the history of cinema.
The new Alice is named Dorothy, played by Judy Garland with her long braids of a young girl. Her blue dress with a tight pattern of small squares, consisting of a schoolgirl apron and a skirt, becomes the thread of the human emotions in a crazy world.
Its light blue color in strong contrast with the costumes of the other characters is intended to demonstrate the recent progress of the Technicolor process that had been criticized for its too saturated rendition of colors.
The dress for sale is complete of its apron, bodice and full length skirt.
Accessories used in The Wizard of Oz are much esteemed. At the sale of the Debbie Reynolds collection by Profiles in History on June 18, 2011, a test dress of same model was sold for $ 1.1 million including premium.
A pair of ruby slippers worn during test sequences was sold for $ 610K including premium by Profiles in History on June 18, 2011. The actual pair used by Judy-Dorothy, which had been discussed in this column in December 2011, was sold in a private sale in February 2012 by Profiles in History to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This costume is now estimated $ 800K for sale by Bonhams in New York on November 23, lot 67.
In the mean time a prop from the same movie achieved a great auction result when a skin of the Cowardly Lion was sold for $ 3.1M including premium by Bonhams on November 24, 2014.
The discussion below is based on my 2012 post with an additional comment concerning color movies.
A dream world can not become obsolete because, since its inception, it is timeless. Released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz became the most watched film in the history of cinema.
The new Alice is named Dorothy, played by Judy Garland with her long braids of a young girl. Her blue dress with a tight pattern of small squares, consisting of a schoolgirl apron and a skirt, becomes the thread of the human emotions in a crazy world.
Its light blue color in strong contrast with the costumes of the other characters is intended to demonstrate the recent progress of the Technicolor process that had been criticized for its too saturated rendition of colors.
The dress for sale is complete of its apron, bodice and full length skirt.
Accessories used in The Wizard of Oz are much esteemed. At the sale of the Debbie Reynolds collection by Profiles in History on June 18, 2011, a test dress of same model was sold for $ 1.1 million including premium.
A pair of ruby slippers worn during test sequences was sold for $ 610K including premium by Profiles in History on June 18, 2011. The actual pair used by Judy-Dorothy, which had been discussed in this column in December 2011, was sold in a private sale in February 2012 by Profiles in History to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
1953 Satin Gown is a Girl's Best Friend
2010 SOLD 356 K$ including premium
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", the musical, enjoyed success on Broadway with 740 performances from 1949 to 1952. The main role was then taken by Carol Channing. The performance art is ephemeral, but fortunately Howard Hawks made a movie in 1953.
Thus were recorded and immortalized the images of Marilyn Monroe singing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with a very fun staging.
How many millions of spectators so admired the young actress in her pink satin gown tightly worn on her curves?
The gown of this scene is now for sale at auction by Profiles in History in Calabasas Hills, near Hollywood, on June 11. It was signed Travilla, the favorite costume designer of Marilyn. The estimation starts at $ 150K. The auction house, however, does not miss to remember that the dress worn by Marilyn on a birthday of President Kennedy was sold $ 1.27 million in 1999.
Here is the link to the catalog page shared by the online auction platform LiveAuctioneers.
POST SALE COMMENT
The dress of Marilyn Monroe doubled its lower estimate: it was sold $ 310K before fees.
Thus were recorded and immortalized the images of Marilyn Monroe singing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with a very fun staging.
How many millions of spectators so admired the young actress in her pink satin gown tightly worn on her curves?
The gown of this scene is now for sale at auction by Profiles in History in Calabasas Hills, near Hollywood, on June 11. It was signed Travilla, the favorite costume designer of Marilyn. The estimation starts at $ 150K. The auction house, however, does not miss to remember that the dress worn by Marilyn on a birthday of President Kennedy was sold $ 1.27 million in 1999.
Here is the link to the catalog page shared by the online auction platform LiveAuctioneers.
POST SALE COMMENT
The dress of Marilyn Monroe doubled its lower estimate: it was sold $ 310K before fees.
1955 The Most Famous Pleated Dress
2011 SOLD 5.6 M$ including premium
It was the most successful seduction scene in motion picture history. In 1955, Marilyn Monroe plays the role of The Girl in the film by Billy Wilder, The Seven Year Itch. In a burst of laughter, she went to stand on a subway vent. The wind made the dress fly as superb scrolls that reveal her thighs.
This lovely ivory white gown was a technical achievement. It must be heavy enough to stay graceful while walking, and light enough to fly above the wind tunnel. The designer Travilla chose a rayon-based fabric. A photo of the famous scene illustrates the article shared by the Daily Mail.
In 1971, 20th Century Fox sells many of their movie props, due to financial difficulties. The actress Debbie Reynolds, who was the dance partner of Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, acquires prestigious pieces before they are auctioned.
She now splits her extraordinary collection, in two sales held by Profiles in History in Beverly Hills. The subway dress is included in the first sale, on June 18. It had never been submitted to a public sale, and it is very difficult to predict the price. The auction house announced a very open estimate that seems reasonable: between 1 and 2 million $.
POST SALE COMMENT
The sale was available live on the bidding provider site LiveAuctioneers. It was well attended by buyers, and the top lot reached a remarkable price: $ 4.6 million before fees.
It is a triumph in the category of movie props.
This lovely ivory white gown was a technical achievement. It must be heavy enough to stay graceful while walking, and light enough to fly above the wind tunnel. The designer Travilla chose a rayon-based fabric. A photo of the famous scene illustrates the article shared by the Daily Mail.
In 1971, 20th Century Fox sells many of their movie props, due to financial difficulties. The actress Debbie Reynolds, who was the dance partner of Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, acquires prestigious pieces before they are auctioned.
She now splits her extraordinary collection, in two sales held by Profiles in History in Beverly Hills. The subway dress is included in the first sale, on June 18. It had never been submitted to a public sale, and it is very difficult to predict the price. The auction house announced a very open estimate that seems reasonable: between 1 and 2 million $.
POST SALE COMMENT
The sale was available live on the bidding provider site LiveAuctioneers. It was well attended by buyers, and the top lot reached a remarkable price: $ 4.6 million before fees.
It is a triumph in the category of movie props.
1959 The Dress of a Crooner Girl
2016 SOLD for $ 470K including premium
In 1959 the movie Some Like It Hot is a big hit. This musical comedy is a parody of romantic and gangster films while maintaining a funny androgynous ambiguity of the two leading male actors. The title is an evocation of jazz rhythms.
Marilyn Monroe is the leading actress with her unambiguous charms. She plays the role of a young singer who came to Florida for capturing the love of the first mogul who will desire her. She does not understand that two women whom she just met are instead two men in disguise to escape some villains.
In the music room of a luxury yacht, Marilyn sings her love despair with the soft and compelling voice of a real crooner: "I'm through with love, I'll never fall again".
She wears for this scene a cocktail dress whose bustier is almost transparent, which is still at that time in America a great audacity three years after the sexual revolution brought in the movies by Vadim with Bardot on the other side of the Atlantic. A cautious cameraman does not dare a close-up. The dress is enhanced with beads and sequins.
Same as the Happy birthday Mr President dress three years later this tight gown reveals the shape of the body. It leaves no freedom for a move and throughout this scene Marilyn sits on the grand piano.
The I'm through with love dress is estimated $ 400K for sale on November 17 by Julien's in Los Angeles, lot 40. The online catalog includes the video of the song in the film. The enamored woman going down the stairs is one of the disguised men.
Marilyn Monroe is the leading actress with her unambiguous charms. She plays the role of a young singer who came to Florida for capturing the love of the first mogul who will desire her. She does not understand that two women whom she just met are instead two men in disguise to escape some villains.
In the music room of a luxury yacht, Marilyn sings her love despair with the soft and compelling voice of a real crooner: "I'm through with love, I'll never fall again".
She wears for this scene a cocktail dress whose bustier is almost transparent, which is still at that time in America a great audacity three years after the sexual revolution brought in the movies by Vadim with Bardot on the other side of the Atlantic. A cautious cameraman does not dare a close-up. The dress is enhanced with beads and sequins.
Same as the Happy birthday Mr President dress three years later this tight gown reveals the shape of the body. It leaves no freedom for a move and throughout this scene Marilyn sits on the grand piano.
The I'm through with love dress is estimated $ 400K for sale on November 17 by Julien's in Los Angeles, lot 40. The online catalog includes the video of the song in the film. The enamored woman going down the stairs is one of the disguised men.
1962 At the Closest from Marilyn Monroe
2016 SOLD for $ 4.8M including premium
The birthday of John Kennedy is grand style at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 19 May 1962. 15 000 friends of the President attend this private show which involves the stars of music hall : Jack Benny, Ella Fitzgerald, Henry Fonda, Maria Callas and of course Marilyn Monroe.
Marilyn has carefully prepared her contribution. The details are a surprise to the President and to the viewers. She composed the short poem 'Happy birthday Mr President' which she sings at the podium in a voice altogether languid and breathless after removing her coat.
She had ordered for this event to Jean Louis a stunning dress such as "only Marilyn Monroe could wear it". The effect of her performance is high among that well-wishing attendance. Jackie Kennedy is upset.
Jean Louis (Jean-Louis Berthault) is working for Hollywood studios since 1943. His designs have pushed Rita Hayworth to the rank of the sex symbol of the postwar period. He had already worked with Marilyn in 1961 for The Misfits.
Marilyn turns 36 less than two weeks later. Her professional career is at a point of no return. She is contractually linked with Fox whose projects do not bring any more pleasure to her. She feels that her body that made her fame will begin to get softened. She dreams of becoming a great tragic comedian.
The gown by Jean Louis is the culmination of the flamboyant youth of Marilyn and her apotheosis. Its color is perfectly consistent with her skin's. The garment with an open back is so tight that the zipper does not work completely and the last stitch is sewn on the actress. Under the stage lights the hundreds of crystals well distributed on the fabric sparkle to hide her nakedness while reinforcing the illusion of it.
On late June the Last Sitting is made. Photographed for Vogue magazine, Marilyn displays her still young body that Jean Louis's gown had masked. The root cause of her death on 5 August 1962 is not known.
The dress made by Jean Louis for Happy Birthday is estimated $ 2M for sale by Julien's in Los Angeles on November 17, lot 84. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Marilyn has carefully prepared her contribution. The details are a surprise to the President and to the viewers. She composed the short poem 'Happy birthday Mr President' which she sings at the podium in a voice altogether languid and breathless after removing her coat.
She had ordered for this event to Jean Louis a stunning dress such as "only Marilyn Monroe could wear it". The effect of her performance is high among that well-wishing attendance. Jackie Kennedy is upset.
Jean Louis (Jean-Louis Berthault) is working for Hollywood studios since 1943. His designs have pushed Rita Hayworth to the rank of the sex symbol of the postwar period. He had already worked with Marilyn in 1961 for The Misfits.
Marilyn turns 36 less than two weeks later. Her professional career is at a point of no return. She is contractually linked with Fox whose projects do not bring any more pleasure to her. She feels that her body that made her fame will begin to get softened. She dreams of becoming a great tragic comedian.
The gown by Jean Louis is the culmination of the flamboyant youth of Marilyn and her apotheosis. Its color is perfectly consistent with her skin's. The garment with an open back is so tight that the zipper does not work completely and the last stitch is sewn on the actress. Under the stage lights the hundreds of crystals well distributed on the fabric sparkle to hide her nakedness while reinforcing the illusion of it.
On late June the Last Sitting is made. Photographed for Vogue magazine, Marilyn displays her still young body that Jean Louis's gown had masked. The root cause of her death on 5 August 1962 is not known.
The dress made by Jean Louis for Happy Birthday is estimated $ 2M for sale by Julien's in Los Angeles on November 17, lot 84. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
1978 Dovima in a Dior Gown
2010 SOLD 840 K€ including premium
The fashion photography, as the wall posters, must attract the attention of increasingly bored passers-by. In this category, Dovima with Elephants by Richard Avedon is one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century.
We are in August 1955. Dior prepares his fall collection. Dovima, who had posed for Irving Penn, is one of the most famous supermodels of her generation.
The photograph shows Dovima in a Dior dress, among the elephants of the Cirque d'Hiver. She reaches out toward the ear of one of the animals in a theatrical gesture that we should not look for meaning. The other elephant, which we imagine being annoyed by this story, raises the trunk and a leg.
The gown also is historic: it was the first evening dress designed by Yves Saint-Laurent for Christian Dior.
In Paris on November 20, Christie's holds a sale of works owned by the Richard Avedon Foundation. The photograph of Dovima, lot 16 estimated € 400K, is the largest existing exhibition print of this image.
POST SALE COMMENT
This silver print made in 1978 is huge, 217 x 167 cm. It deserves its exceptional price, € 840K including premium.
We are in August 1955. Dior prepares his fall collection. Dovima, who had posed for Irving Penn, is one of the most famous supermodels of her generation.
The photograph shows Dovima in a Dior dress, among the elephants of the Cirque d'Hiver. She reaches out toward the ear of one of the animals in a theatrical gesture that we should not look for meaning. The other elephant, which we imagine being annoyed by this story, raises the trunk and a leg.
The gown also is historic: it was the first evening dress designed by Yves Saint-Laurent for Christian Dior.
In Paris on November 20, Christie's holds a sale of works owned by the Richard Avedon Foundation. The photograph of Dovima, lot 16 estimated € 400K, is the largest existing exhibition print of this image.
POST SALE COMMENT
This silver print made in 1978 is huge, 217 x 167 cm. It deserves its exceptional price, € 840K including premium.
1983 A Jacket for a Werewolf and Two Tigers
2011 SOLD 1.8 M$ including premium
Thriller, Michael Jackson's sixth album released in 1982, was a phenomenal success. The video clip of the same name made in 1983 has contributed significantly to this achievement.
This little 14-minute film is a pastiche of horror movies. Michael, omnipresent, cunningly shows the complexity of his personality: sweet charmer of girls, abominable werewolf, first dancer in a gang of zombies.
A thread follows him in all these roles: his red jacket with black stripes. He often reused this model in concert. He liked this jacket that was flexible enough for not impeding the movements of the most frantic dance.
One of the two originals of this iconic garment is for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills in the sale of 25 and 26 June. This lot is shown on the release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The jacket is estimated $ 200K. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of that lot will be paid to the Shambala Preserve. This charity for abandoned big cats is housing since 2006 the two tigers of the artist, Thriller and Sabu
POST SALE COMMENT
Michael's tigers will be well fed. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this lot is for their home. The jacket was sold $ 1.8 million charge included.
This little 14-minute film is a pastiche of horror movies. Michael, omnipresent, cunningly shows the complexity of his personality: sweet charmer of girls, abominable werewolf, first dancer in a gang of zombies.
A thread follows him in all these roles: his red jacket with black stripes. He often reused this model in concert. He liked this jacket that was flexible enough for not impeding the movements of the most frantic dance.
One of the two originals of this iconic garment is for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills in the sale of 25 and 26 June. This lot is shown on the release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The jacket is estimated $ 200K. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of that lot will be paid to the Shambala Preserve. This charity for abandoned big cats is housing since 2006 the two tigers of the artist, Thriller and Sabu
POST SALE COMMENT
Michael's tigers will be well fed. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this lot is for their home. The jacket was sold $ 1.8 million charge included.
1985 The Princess of Rock and Roll
2013 SOLD 240 K£ including premium
Ten dresses used by Princess Diana are for sale on March 19 in London by Kerry Taylor Auctions. They come from a set of fourteen pieces which were presented at auction in Canada in June 2011. Most had then remained unsold as their too high reserve price had not been compensated by a large media effort.
I copy below my article of 2011:
On June 25, 1997, Christie's was organizing in New York one of the most interesting charity auction sales of our time. The Princess of Wales herself had selected 79 evening and cocktail dresses for the benefit of organizations fighting AIDS and cancer. This sale generated a total of $ 5.76 million, divided into $ 3.26 million at auction, and $ 2.5 million from the glossy catalog and tickets to the exhibition.
Among the dresses of the 2011 auction is included the star of the 1997 sale, sold $ 225K at that time: a long midnight blue silk velvet gown, made in 1985 for a dinner offered at the White House by President Reagan.
Diana wore this dress on the official photo of that evening, shared by Wikipedia, where she is seen dancing with John Travolta. The movement of the dance gives a lovely shape to this dress prepared in Edwardian style by London fashion designer Victor Edelstein.
This is not the first time a former president of the United States plays a role in fashion sales: in October 1999, Christie's sold $ 1.27 million including premium the gown worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John Kennedy.
POST SALE COMMENT
The total price for the ten dresses reached £ 719K before fees. As expected, the highest price, £ 240K including premium, was recorded on the dress made by Victor Edelstein which was the main subject of the above discussion.
Here is the picture shared by Wikimedia. It was put into the public domain by the U.S. government.
I copy below my article of 2011:
On June 25, 1997, Christie's was organizing in New York one of the most interesting charity auction sales of our time. The Princess of Wales herself had selected 79 evening and cocktail dresses for the benefit of organizations fighting AIDS and cancer. This sale generated a total of $ 5.76 million, divided into $ 3.26 million at auction, and $ 2.5 million from the glossy catalog and tickets to the exhibition.
Among the dresses of the 2011 auction is included the star of the 1997 sale, sold $ 225K at that time: a long midnight blue silk velvet gown, made in 1985 for a dinner offered at the White House by President Reagan.
Diana wore this dress on the official photo of that evening, shared by Wikipedia, where she is seen dancing with John Travolta. The movement of the dance gives a lovely shape to this dress prepared in Edwardian style by London fashion designer Victor Edelstein.
This is not the first time a former president of the United States plays a role in fashion sales: in October 1999, Christie's sold $ 1.27 million including premium the gown worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John Kennedy.
POST SALE COMMENT
The total price for the ten dresses reached £ 719K before fees. As expected, the highest price, £ 240K including premium, was recorded on the dress made by Victor Edelstein which was the main subject of the above discussion.
Here is the picture shared by Wikimedia. It was put into the public domain by the U.S. government.
1999 Corsets in the Catwalk
2017 SOLD for $ 810K including premium
Clothing has the social role of drawing attention to the person wearing it. The creativity of Alexander McQueen is unlimited. It does not matter that his pieces are unusable apart from the theatrical stagings at the fashion shows. In 1995 the designer attracts controversy by exhibiting bumster trousers that are worn very low to denude the top of the buttocks.
For the jewelry that accompanies the gowns, McQueen works with Shaun Leane. On December 4 in New York, Sotheby's in association with Kerry Taylor sells a collection of items made for McQueen by Leane and offered from his personal archives. They are discussed by Shaun Leane himself in the video shared by the auction house.
In 1997 McQueen dressed Björk for the preparation of her album titled Homogenic. She wears on the cover a collar made by Leane in circles of silver plated brass imitating the ornaments of the Burmese women-giraffes. This jewel is estimated $ 40K, lot 33.
At the risk of erasing the femininity McQueen required Leane to create in the same style a corset made after a concrete molding of the body of the model Laura Morgan from top of neck down to the hips. This piece made of 97 aluminum coils is signed by both McQueen and Leane and dated 1999. It is estimated $ 250K, lot 24.
In a similar inspiration, lot 12 also estimated $ 250K turns a woman into a surrealist artefact. This aluminum corset created by Leane for McQueen in 1998 is composed of the spine in its whole length along with its complete ribcage. The video demonstrates very briefly at 1:14 how to wear it elegantly over a glittery black garment.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM :
Laura Morgan's corset : $ 810K
Skeleton corset : $ 710K
Björk's giraffe collar : $ 244K
For the jewelry that accompanies the gowns, McQueen works with Shaun Leane. On December 4 in New York, Sotheby's in association with Kerry Taylor sells a collection of items made for McQueen by Leane and offered from his personal archives. They are discussed by Shaun Leane himself in the video shared by the auction house.
In 1997 McQueen dressed Björk for the preparation of her album titled Homogenic. She wears on the cover a collar made by Leane in circles of silver plated brass imitating the ornaments of the Burmese women-giraffes. This jewel is estimated $ 40K, lot 33.
At the risk of erasing the femininity McQueen required Leane to create in the same style a corset made after a concrete molding of the body of the model Laura Morgan from top of neck down to the hips. This piece made of 97 aluminum coils is signed by both McQueen and Leane and dated 1999. It is estimated $ 250K, lot 24.
In a similar inspiration, lot 12 also estimated $ 250K turns a woman into a surrealist artefact. This aluminum corset created by Leane for McQueen in 1998 is composed of the spine in its whole length along with its complete ribcage. The video demonstrates very briefly at 1:14 how to wear it elegantly over a glittery black garment.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM :
Laura Morgan's corset : $ 810K
Skeleton corset : $ 710K
Björk's giraffe collar : $ 244K
2010 The Armor of Daphne Guinness
2017 SOLD for $ 310K including premium
British eccentricity is limitless. Daphne Guinness was born under favorable social auspices, descending from both the family of Irish brewers and one of the Mitford sisters. Having entered the world of fashion with her childhood friend Isabella Blow who launched the career of Alexander McQueen, she is regularly nominated in the best dressed lists. She claims to be shy and poetic, hidden behind her look in the manner of punks.
Her actions are often spectacular. In 2010, three years after Blow's suicide, she bought the entire wardrobe of her friend while it was prepared for an auction.
One day Daphne Guinness is threatened with a jostling in an exhibition which she is visiting with Alexander McQueen and Shaun Leane. Resurfacing the quest for protection from her childhood, she tells Leane : "I need armor. I need you to protect me. I need a glove !".
The invitation was clever. Leane had built for McQueen the coiled corsets designed on the closest to the body. Twenty-one fitting sessions are required for Leane to adjust the glove of white gold mesh to Guinness's hand. The work is close to completion in 2010 at the time of McQueen's suicide. The dress imagined by the designer to accompany the glove will never be started. Leane finishes the glove with a pavement of 4,290 diamonds. As a whole the work had lasted four years.
This one-of-a-kind piece named Contra Mundum is a synthesis of armor and fashion, adorned on its removable cuff with a flight of grouped birds aimed to discourage predators. The set is estimated $ 300K for sale by Sotheby's in New York on December 4, lot 43.
Her actions are often spectacular. In 2010, three years after Blow's suicide, she bought the entire wardrobe of her friend while it was prepared for an auction.
One day Daphne Guinness is threatened with a jostling in an exhibition which she is visiting with Alexander McQueen and Shaun Leane. Resurfacing the quest for protection from her childhood, she tells Leane : "I need armor. I need you to protect me. I need a glove !".
The invitation was clever. Leane had built for McQueen the coiled corsets designed on the closest to the body. Twenty-one fitting sessions are required for Leane to adjust the glove of white gold mesh to Guinness's hand. The work is close to completion in 2010 at the time of McQueen's suicide. The dress imagined by the designer to accompany the glove will never be started. Leane finishes the glove with a pavement of 4,290 diamonds. As a whole the work had lasted four years.
This one-of-a-kind piece named Contra Mundum is a synthesis of armor and fashion, adorned on its removable cuff with a flight of grouped birds aimed to discourage predators. The set is estimated $ 300K for sale by Sotheby's in New York on December 4, lot 43.
