ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S COUTURE ON SALE!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

With a starting bid of RM 1,900 anyone can bid for an outfit once owned and worn by one of the planet's most legendary actresses!

DON'T WE ALL LOVE WEARING DRESSES ONCE OWNED BY SUPERSTARS LIKE ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND PRINCESS DIANA? WELL, NOW YOU CAN BUY ORIGINAL COUTURE GARMENTS MADE FOR THE GREATEST MOVIE ACTRESS OF THE LATE 20TH CENTURY! PRINCESS DIANA'S CLOTHES HAVE BEEN SOLD (AT LEAST THOSE ALLOCATED FOR SALE) BUT THE ESTATE OF LIZ TAYLOR WILL BE OFFLOADING PART OF HER WARDROBE THIS 14 AND 15 DECEMBER AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK.

SO IF YOU WONDERING WHAT TO WEAR FOR CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW YEAR PARTIES---BEARING IN MIND THIS COULD WELL BE THE LAST IF THE WORLD ENDS IN DECEMBER 2012---NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO WEAR SOMETHING STUPENDOUS!

IT IS EXCELLENT FENG SHUI TO WEAR SOMETHING ONCE OWNED AND WORN BY THE GREAT AND GOOD AND ELIZABETH TAYLOR HAD RAISED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF RINGGIT FOR CHARITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE LINKED TO AIDS RESEARCH SO SHE QUALIFIES AS ONE OF THE BLESSED!

THE ONLY SNAG?

YOU NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE HER SIZE!

She was only 5ft 2 inches or 157cm and her stats were 36C-21-36 so bear these in mind! Of course her jewels, to be auctioned so read my earlier blog, is infinitely easier as her bling is a case of one-size-fits-all!

Still, there is nothing like wearing textiles that sit on your skin and don't feel cold and clammy as jewels are wont to! Of course the ideal solution is to stock up on both!

If you are planning to buy a RM 36,000 Birkin handbag by Hermes, dump the foolish idea and bid for a piece of history! Your Birkin bag is just one of hundreds of thousands or maybe a million even but a dress owned and worn by Elizabeth Taylor is one of a kind and you can wear it repeatedly on all occasions as everyone will continue to admire your sartorial investment! Apart from her wedding dress and Versace 'Faces' outfit, the pieces are not frightfully expensive and I aver a budget of RM 40,000 should be able to get you something. Ditto for her jewels which go on sale on 13 December!

See you at the auction in New York! And we go partying to celebrate your new outfits!


THE ICON AND HER HAUTE COUTURE
CHRISTIE‟S ANNOUNCES THE FASHION COLLECTION
OF HOLLYWOOD‟S MOST GLAMOROUS STAR: ELIZABETH TAYLOR
THE FILM STAR'S FEARLESS SENSE OF STYLE
REFLECTED IN MEGAWATT FASHIONS
BY CHANEL, CHRISTIAN DIOR, VALENTINO, VERSACE AND MORE


New York – Christie‟s is pleased to announce fashion and accessories highlights from the four-day series of landmark sales devoted to the iconic Collection of Elizabeth Taylor, the celebrated film star, fashion icon, and humanitarian. Collected over five decades, Elizabeth Taylor‟s fashion wardrobe features scores of museum-quality ensembles fashioned by Chanel, Christian Dior, Gianfranco Ferré, Givenchy, Halston, Tiziani, Valentino, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent, among others.

As Hollywood‟s leading lady for decades, Elizabeth Taylor often worked directly with designers to create the stunning looks that the cameras immortalized – from the ethereal silver Chanel ballgown and cape she wore to the Royal Film performance of The Taming of the Shrew in London in 1967, to the stunning ivory silk Valentino Couture gown she wore to the 64th Annual Academy Awards in 1992. Nearly 400 items comprise this broad collection, which includes a lifetime of one-of-a-kind haute couture gowns, prêt-à-porter fashions, coats, and capes, as well as scores of handbags, costume jewelry and shoes. Christie‟s New York will present 68 of Ms. Taylor‟s most iconic looks in a black-tie Evening Sale of fashion and accessories on December 14, followed by 326 additional items in three consecutive Day Sale sessions on December 15.

“One of the many great treasures within Elizabeth Taylor‟s vast collection is her extraordinarily well-preserved wardrobe. The stunning outfits she wore to galas, award ceremonies, AIDS benefits and even her own weddings to Richard Burton are all here, lovingly maintained along with the handbags, shoes, hats and other accessories that completed her superstar looks. Just as the unveiling of her iconic jewelry collection has dazzled fans and collectors the world over these last few weeks, this exceptional collection of Ms. Taylor‟s fashion is sure to inspire and delight all who come to see it during our global exhibition tour this fall,” said Marc Porter, Chairman and President of Christie's Americas.

“Spanning over fifty years of fashion, this is a highly personal collection, every stitch of which is reflective of Elizabeth Taylor‟s sense of fashion and the development of her distinctive style. This is not a red carpet wardrobe edited by stylists but a treasure trove of looks chosen by the last of the great movie stars. Many of the pieces in this lifetime collection were couture, custom made for Ms. Taylor by designers who became her close friends, including Valentino Garavani, Gianni Versace and Gianfranco Ferré,” noted Meredith Etherington-Smith, Christie‟s curator for the fashion portion of the Collection. “In life, Elizabeth Taylor was delightfully fearless in her fashion choices and it is her joie-de-vivre, sense of play and megawatt stardom that shine through for anyone who sees this fabulous collection.”

Select highlights from Elizabeth Taylor‟s collection of fashion and accessories have joined the three-month global touring exhibition, which arrives at Christie‟s London on September 23. Nearly 6,000 people viewed the inaugural two-day public exhibition at GUM on Moscow‟s Red Square, held September 15 and 16. Additional tour stops for the jewelry and fashion collections will include Los Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong, and New York. The complete collection will be offered for sale at Christie‟s New York from December 13-16

THE COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE ICON AND HER HAUTE COUTURE
Stepping into the limelight in 1941 at the tender age of nine, Elizabeth Taylor rapidly became one of Hollywood‟s leading starlets. Growing up in the studio system, she quickly became immersed in the glamour of silver screen fashion with the help of some of the best costume designers of the era, including Edith Head, Helen Rose and Irene Sharaff. With these talented women as her guides, the young actress mastered the elements of fine form and design that would forever define her personal style, both on the red carpet and in her private life.

In time, she became a devoted client of haute couture from the houses of Chanel, Christian Dior, Valentino, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent. She became both a patron and close friend of certain designers as well, including Gianfranco Ferré, Halston, Arnold Scaasi and Michael Vollbracht. But when asked if she considered herself a style icon, Taylor was quick to set the record straight, saying “Fashion icons are the geniuses I was fortunate enough to work with,” citing Valentino, Halston, Gianni Versace, Rose, Sharaff and Head as her greatest influences. Their designs and contributions to Elizabeth Taylor‟s inimitable style are all substantially represented in her fashion collection.

VALENTINO
A Valentino Red Velvet and Satin Ball Gown
with Scarlet and Beaded Satin Evening Bag

The dress labeled „Valentino Couture‟, 1990s
Estimate: $3,000-5,000
From the early 1960s through to the end of her life, Elizabeth Taylor reached for Valentino
to celebrate the occasions most worthy of a show-stopping look. This 1990s era couture
gown in the designer‟s signature shade of red is trimmed with a hem of velvet stars that
mirror the deep cut-out of the velvet bodice. A Valentino bag covered in densely beaded
flowers completes the look.
Additional Valentino Couture highlights in the collection include a 1960s era Valentino
Couture gown of white raw silk with deep sleeves trimmed with a frill of silk velvet flowers
(estimate: $3,000-5,000); the 1971 black lace stage gown with tiered skirts Ms. Taylor wore to
the Rothschild Proust Ball in Paris (estimate: $1,500-2,000); and the elegant black chiffon
evening gown and matching coat she wore to the 58th Annual Golden Globes Awards in
2001 (estimate: $3,000-5,000). Known for her love of
animal motifs in both jewelry and fashion, Elizabeth Taylor also selected Valentino Couture for the 64th Annual
Academy Awards in 1992, when she wore a stunning evening gown of ivory silk hand-embroidered with a sequined
snow leopard across the bodice (estimate: $4,000-$5,000).

CHRISTIAN DIOR
A Christian Dior White Organza Evening Gown

Labeled „Christian Dior Printemps-Été 1987‟
Estimate: $4,000-6,000
Worn when accompanying Malcolm Forbes to the 70th anniversary celebrations for Forbes
Magazine, Elizabeth Taylor looked radiant in this gown‟s black silk halterneck bodice overlaid
with a deep collared shawl of white organza. While her wardrobe reveals a woman who fully
embraced vivid color throughout her life, this gown is reminiscent of the all-white ensembles
she favored for her break-out roles in The Elephant Walk (1954) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958),
among others.
Additional Christian Dior ensembles include the complete evening look from the New York
City premiere of Dr. Faustus in 1968, where Ms. Taylor wore an embroidered white dress with
matching pink gazar kimono coat that comes with an alternate candy pink chiffon wrap
(estimate: $6,000-8,000); and a scarlet chiffon gown worn to Buckingham Palace in 2010 to
celebrate the dedication of the new Richard Burton Theatre at the Royal Welsh College of
Music & Drama. A signed sketch of the dress by John Galliano accompanies the gown.

HALSTON
A Halston Lavender Bugle Bead Fringed Evening Jacket

The jacket labeled „Halston‟, probably 1980s
Estimate: $1,000-2,000
Ms. Taylor and Halston became close friends in the 1970s and were often
photographed together at Studio 54 with Andy Warhol and Liza Minnelli.
Halston often created special designs exclusively for Ms. Taylor in the ensuing
years, including this luminous bugle bead fringed jacket. Sold with the lavender
Hermès Jige pochette that completes the look, this outfit pays homage to Ms.
Taylor‟s famous violet eyes.

TIZIANI
A Tiziani Black Velvet “Scorpio” Evening Cape

Labeled “Tiziani Roma”, 1968-9
Estimate: $2,000-3,000
For Princess Grace of Monaco‟s 40th birthday “Scorpio Ball”, Elizabeth Taylor commissioned
Roman dressmaker Tiziani to create this dramatic black velvet cape embroidered with diamanté
scorpions on the front and on the hood. Though she was born a Pisces, Ms. Taylor was
permitted to attend the ball – meant strictly for Princess Grace‟s fellow Scorpios – as the date of
her husband Richard Burton, who shared the correct zodiac sign. At the time of the cape‟s
commissioning, Karl Lagerfeld was Tiziani‟s freelance designer, and this eye-catching piece,
exquisitely detailed with an ivory moiré silk lining, may well have been one of his designs.

VERSACE
A Versace Beaded Evening Jacket, “The Face”

This is the star lot!

I need to do something like this for my jacket too!

The back shows her as Cleopatra, the movie that propelled her to eternal flame aided by her on-screen and off-screen romance with Richard Burton, made more scandalous in 1963 when both were already married!

Labeled “Atelier Versace”, 1990s
Estimate: $15,000-20,000
Elizabeth Taylor and Gianni Versace became fast friends in the 1990s. She was so
enamored with his bold, colorful designs of the period that she acquired many pieces
for her wardrobe, including three crystal-encrusted jackets from the designer‟s
couture division, Atelier Versace. Known as „The Face‟, this rhinestone beaded
evening jacket is arrayed with portraits of Ms. Taylor in her most famous roles. She
wore it to 1992‟s “Glitter and Be Giving” Gala to benefit The American Foundation
for AIDS Research (amfAR) and when she was honored the previous year by the
Centre for Counseling and Psychology for her contributions in support of AIDS
patient care.

THIERRY MUGLER
A Royal Blue and Silvered-Metal Suit

Labeled “Thierry Mugler Paris”, circa 1991
Estimate: $600-$800
With her innate sense of style and drama, Elizabeth Taylor carried off a ball gown like few others
could, but she also wore high-fashion day looks with aplomb. This Thierry Mugler suit, worn for the New York press launch of her signature perfume „White Diamonds‟ in 1991, has the designer‟s signature sharp lines, strong shoulders and tiny nipped-in waist, accented her by a silver self-belt buckle and subtle stud detail.

CHANEL
A Chanel Ballgown, Cape, Shoes, and Matching Clutch Bag

Labeled “Chanel”, 1960s
Estimate: $6,000-8,000
For the Royal Film Performance of The Taming of the Shrew, Princess Margaret
appeared at London‟s Odeon Theatre to greet the evening‟s stars, including Elizabeth
Taylor and Richard Burton. For this Royal event – one of several in Ms. Taylor‟s
celebrated career – she held back nothing on the fashion front, adorning herself in
ethereal head-to-toe Chanel to mark the occasion.
In addition to dresses, Ms. Taylor‟s collection includes over 25 Chanel handbags and a
significant group of vintage Chanel costume jewelry, shoes, and belts, as well as
exquisite handbag designs from the likes of Hermès, Fendi, Valentino, Gucci,
Louis Vuitton and Prada.

IRENE SHARAFF
A Sunflower Yellow Silk Chiffon Wedding Dress, 1964

Worn to Ms. Taylor‟s first wedding to Richard Burton
Estimate: $40,000-60,000
On the joyous occasion of her marriage to Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor turned to Irene
Sharaff, the Academy Award-winning costume designer who created her signature looks for the
film Cleopatra, to create her wedding dress. Sharaff‟s diaphanous silk chiffon dress features long
sheer sleeves, a draped cowl neck collar, and an empire waist accented by a delicate bow. Upon the collar, Ms. Taylor affixed the dazzling BVLGARI emerald and diamond brooch given to her by Richard Burton as an engagement present and topped it off with an elaborate headdress of
hyacinths intertwined with a long braid of hair down her back.
This is one of two of Ms. Taylor‟s wedding dresses to be offered in the sale, the other being the
dip-dyed ombré wedding gown by Gina Fratini, which she wore to her second wedding to Burton
in Botswana in 1975.

THEA PORTER
A Thea Porter Caftan of Cotton Ikat
with traditional multi-strand necklace

Labeled “Thea Porter‟, 1980s
Estimate: $800-1,000
In the 1960s Elizabeth Taylor discovered a silhouette that would become one of her
signature looks: the caftan. The bohemian look – which was popularized by the British
fashion designer Thea Porter and fellow celebrities like Talitha Getty, Barbra Streisand
and Charlotte Rampling – was characterized by flowing forms and richly patterned
textiles. The look appealed to Elizabeth Taylor‟s unique sense of style, and she would
come to acquire a multitude of caftans, from a decadent 19th century Ottoman wedding
gown of purple velvet embroidered with gilt thread (estimate:
$3,000-4,000), to a contemporary safari print silk caftan by Yves Saint Laurent Rive
Gauche (estimate: $800-1,200).


The complete catalogues for The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor are now available for pre-order at
http://www.christies.com/elizabethtaylor/catalogues.aspx

Christie's, the world's leading art business had global auction and private sales in the first half of 2011 that totaled £2.0 billion/$3.2 billion. In 2010 it achieved global auction and private sales of £3.3 billion/$5.0 billion. Christie‟s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's conducted the greatest auctions of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and today remains a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful.

Christie‟s offers over 450 sales annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie‟s has 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie‟s has led the market with expanded initiatives in emerging and new markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai.

*Estimates do not include buyer‟s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer‟s premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer‟s or seller‟s credits.

Tour Dates and Locations: Highlights from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor
City
Dates
Admission
Venue Moscow September 15 & 16 n/a GUM, Red Square
London
September 24, 25 & 26
£10
Christie‟s London Los Angeles October 13, 14, 15 & 16 $20 MOCA Pacific Design Center
Dubai
October 23
n/a
Emirates Tower Hotel Geneva November 11 & 12 n/a Four Seasons Hotel de Bergues
Paris
November 16 & 17
n/a
Christie‟s Paris Hong Kong November 24, 25, 26 & 27 n/a Hong Kong Convention Centre
New York
December 3-12
$30
Christie‟s New York

Tickets will be required to view the highlights exhibitions in London, Los Angeles and New York. Tickets are NOT required to view the exhibition in Moscow, Dubai, Geneva and Paris and Hong Kong, which are timed to coincide with pre-sale jewelry exhibitions in each those locations.
Ticket availability will be announced via www.christies.com in advance of the exhibitions.
In keeping with Elizabeth Taylor‟s life-long devotion to humanitarian causes, Christie‟s is pleased to announce that a portion of profits generated by admissions, events and select publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). Founded in 1991, ETAF provides funding to AIDS service organizations throughout the world to assist those living with HIV and AIDS.

Sale Dates: The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor The Legendary Jewels, Evening Sale December 13, 2011 Jewelry (Sessions II & III) December 14, 2011 The Icon and her Haute Couture, Evening Sale December 14, 2011 Fashion and Accessories (Sessions II, III & IV) December 15, 2011
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