Vintage dealers and Audrey Hepburn enthusiasts gathered in London yesterday as the largest collection of couture pieces and accessories belonging to the late screen legend went under the hammer.
A black Givenchy, haute couture, Chantilly lace cocktail dress worn by Hepburn in the 1966 film How To Steal A Million sold for £60,000 - three times its upper estimate - while a black, cloqué silk gown, also by Givenchy, worn by the actress in the 1964 romantic comedy Paris When It Sizzles fetched for £16,800 in the sale hosted by Kerry Taylor Auctions in association with Sotheby's. Also up for grabs was an ivory satin wedding dress designed by the Fontana sisters for Hepburn's aborted marriage to businessman James Hanson, which sold for £13,800, and a Mark Cross red and white striped Breton top, which went for £7,200. The 36-piece collection, which went under the hammer at La Galleria on Pall Mall, sold for a whopping £268,320 in total.
Auctioneer Kerry Taylor said, "The collection made double the pre-sale estimate of £100,000 and Tanja Star-Busmann (Hepburn's life-long friend who sold the items) is pleased that all these lovely clothes and accessories that she has treasured for so many years will go to collectors and museums throughout the world. It has been a privilege to handle this collection, the like of which will never be seen again."
Half of all the proceeds will be donated to The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund and Unicef joint venture, All Children In School, which aims to provide basic education for children worldwide not currently in school.
The auction also saw a collection of items belonging to ‘70s model Marie Helvin go up for sale. The top lots included two Azzedine Alaïa cocktail dresses, a bespoke Ossie Clark velvet and chiffon evening gown and a ‘90s Vivienne Westwood black crepe evening dress, which fetched between £200 and £800.
Picture: Audrey Hepburn wearing the Givenchy haute couture white point d'esprit ball gown in the opera scene of the 1956 film Love In The Afternoon.
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