A little piece of a dream is now becoming accessible to the public. On June 24th, the Hotêl Drouot is set to have a very Haute Couture auction. Rare vintage pieces by fashion houses like Dior, Azzaro, and Yves Saint Laurent will be put up before the very eyes of collectors and the curious alike.
First shown to the public on Saturday, June 22nd and Monday, June 24th, the clothing and accessories will be put up for sale on the latter day at 2 p.m. starting at 80 euros for a pair of Louis Vuitton sandals and going up to 9,000 euros for a Madeleine Vionnet dress. Organized by auctioneer Isabelle Boudot de Lamotte, this sale already promises to have a few surprises up its sleeve. Amongst the pieces presented, interested parties will be able to find a bodice from a dress by Charles Frederick Worth, founding father of Haute Couture, dating back to 1885. Also, a false two-piece dress by the Callot sisters, a brand that’s faded from memory but still made Madeleine Vionnet say “thanks to them, I was able to make Rolls Royces. Without them, I would have made Fords.” An evening dress by Madeleine Vionnet then is a logical inclusion in this auction. Conceived in 1937 in black Chantilly lace and worked obliquely as only the designer knew how to do, it’s estimated to be worth between 7,000 and 9,000 euros.
Aficionados and casual fans alike will also be able to find the final contribution of a certain Yves Saint Laurent to Christian Dior, with an “Almaviva” cocktail dress from the Fall/Winter 1960 collection, who’s estimated value is around 5,000 euros. Licensed the very same year, he would go on to revolutionize the modern woman’s wardrobe would found his own fashion house in 1961 with Pierre Bergé. Close to 500 pieces each carefully selected by experts in vintage and contemporary fashion expert Pénélope Blanckaert all invite fashion lovers and collectors to a crossroads between Fashion History from the birth of Haute Couture to the dawn of the 21st century.
Leave a Reply