Six of the Most Expensive Dresses at Auction
A pleated skirt suspended above a subway grate. A crystal-covered gown worn to sing to a president. Some of the most expensive dresses sold at auction owe their significance to a specific moment in entertainment history. Auction records for garments associated with Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Judy Garland show how costumes and personal clothing have become multimillion-dollar collectibles.
These six examples have documented sales, with prices attributed to the auction records cited below. They are a selection of notable results, rather than a definitive worldwide ranking. Figures reflect historical sales without adjustments for inflation.
Marilyn Monroe’s The Seven Year Itch Dress
Photo/Sam Shaw
Published archive result: $5,658,000
Sale date: June 18, 2011
Designed by William Travilla, Monroe’s ivory halter dress appeared in the subway-grate scene of the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. The auction catalogue describes rayon-acetate fabric and a pleated skirt. Debbie Reynolds acquired the dress from Twentieth Century-Fox before it eventually entered the sale of her Hollywood collection.
The Profiles in History lot record preserved by Heritage Auctions lists a sale result of $5,658,000. However, contemporary Reuters reporting gave a $4,600,000 winning bid and a $5,520,000 total after fees and taxes. Those conflicting totals should not be treated as interchangeable. The figure above reproduces the lot archive’s published result.
Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” Gown
Photo(s)/Cecil Stoughton/AP and Ripley Entertainment Inc
Published auction result: $4,810,000
Sale date: November 17, 2016
Monroe wore this Jean Louis gown when she sang to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 1962. Its association with that performance distinguishes it from the actress’s film costumes.
Julien’s Auctions records the sale at $4,810,000, with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! identified as the buyer by Guinness World Records. That amount is the published auction result, not a verified all-in invoice: Ripley’s separately stated that the cost exceeded $5 million with auction fees.
Audrey Hepburn’s My Fair Lady Ascot Ensemble
Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (1964)
Published archive result: $4,551,000
Sale date: June 18, 2011
Cecil Beaton designed the outfit Hepburn wore as Eliza Doolittle at Ascot in the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Its lace overlay, black velvet ribbon and large picture hat formed part of the film’s elaborate interpretation of Edwardian dress.
The archived auction lot lists $4,551,000 and describes the dress, hat and matching lace parasol. The amount therefore applies to the ensemble. Contemporary Associated Press reporting carried by ABC7 identified the winning bid as $3,700,000, before auction charges.
Judy Garland’s The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Costume
Photo/AP
Sale price: $1,565,000, including buyer’s premium
Sale date: November 23, 2015
A Dorothy costume worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz sold at Bonhams’ TCM Presents… Treasures from the Dream Factory auction. The blue-and-white gingham pinafore demonstrates that a high auction price does not require precious stones or elaborate eveningwear.
Bonhams’ lot record gives the exact result as $1,565,000 including premium. The figure belongs to this particular costume and sale, an important distinction when discussing a film for which multiple Dorothy dresses were made.
Marilyn Monroe’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Red Gown
Published archive result: $1,476,000
Sale date: June 18, 2011
Monroe wore this red-sequined Travilla gown as Lorelei Lee during the “Two Little Girls from Little Rock” number in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The costume combined a high thigh slit with a flesh-toned panel extending down the front.
The Profiles in History record preserved by Heritage Auctions lists $1,476,000 for the lot, which included the feathered hat. This is a separate costume from Monroe’s pink dress in the film’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” sequence.
Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy Breakfast at Tiffany’s Dress
Photo/Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Sale price: £467,200, including buyer’s premium
Sale date: December 5, 2006
A black Italian satin gown made by Hubert de Givenchy for Hepburn’s role as Holly Golightly sold at Christie’s for £467,200. Contemporary reporting distinguishes that total from the £410,000 winning bid. Christie’s subsequently cited the sale’s dollar equivalent as $923,187.
The original Christie’s catalogue makes a crucial distinction: this example came from Givenchy’s private collection and had a thigh-high slit, unlike the complete skirt seen in the film’s opening sequence. It should therefore be described as a dress made for Hepburn for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, rather than definitively identified as the one worn in that scene. Givenchy donated it to support City of Joy Aid.