In recent years, the appeal of owning iconic costumes has expanded. With exhibitions such as Hollywood Costume at the V&A in London and museums like the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, this niche has people clambering to own a piece of Hollywood history. These are the most expensive film costumes ever sold at auction.
6. Steve McQueen’s Hinchman Nomex racing suit from Le Mans
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From the 1971 action film Le Mans, Steve McQueen's Hinchman Nomex racing suit is the sixth most-expensive Hollywood costume ever sold at auction. Featuring logos from Firestone and Heur as well as the name of McQueen's character ‘Michael Delaney’ embroidered on the pocket, this costume became the most expensive piece of racing memorabilia ever sold, apart from the actual automobiles. It sold for $336,000 with Sotheby’s in 2017, and even included McQueen’s Nomex underwear. Incredibly, the original seller won the costume from a studio-sponsored contest when he was twelve.
5. Audrey Hepburn’s dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s
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From one of Audrey Hepburn’s most well-known films, this dress from the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s plays a major role in both fashion and film history. Originally designed by Hubert de Givenchy, this dress is representative of a long-term collaboration between Hepburn and Givenchy. However, for the film, the lower portion of the dress was later redesigned by the legendary costume designer Edith Head because it was considered unsuitable by studio executives. Beyond the film, this dress was also featured on the cover of a 2006 edition of Harper’s Bazaar, worn by actress Natalie Portman. This original cover was included with the dress in the auction lot along with a pair of black elbow-length gloves and an envelope addressed by Givenchy to ‘Monsieur Dominique Lapierre.’ It sold for $612,460 in 2006 with Christies.
4. Judy Garland’s ‘Dorothy’ dress from The Wizard of Oz
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From the beloved 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland’s iconic ‘Dorothy’ costume remains a symbol of classic Hollywood. This lot included the original blue-and-white gingham pinafore dress, cream colored blouse with matching blue ribbon trimmings, and tag labelled ‘Judy Garland / 4461’. Originally worn by Garland, it remains one of only two original ‘Dorothy’ costumes in existence. It was estimated between $800,000 to $1.2 million as part of a 400-piece collection of classic film memorabilia auctioned by Bonhams and Turner Classic Movies. The dress ultimately sold for $1.56 million in 2015.
3. Bert Lahr’s ‘Cowardly Lion’ costume from The Wizard of Oz
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Another gem from The Wizard of Oz film, the Cowardly Lion costume worn by Bert Lahr is the third most-expensive Hollywood costume sold at auction. Originally preserved at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the costume is made from real lion’s skin and fur. Due to the one-of-a-kind fur patterns, this was the only suit worn by Lahr during the film. This played a large role in the authentication process when it went up for auction in 2014. The unique swirls in the fur were matched with dozens of images from the film to verify the costume before it was sold for an incredible $3,077,000.
2. Audrey Hepburn’s Ascot dress from My Fair Lady
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This next entry comes from the unbelievable costume collection of Debbie Reynolds who, after collecting Hollywood costumes for over fifty years, sold them all in 2011. With costumes from The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca and Ben Hur, Reynold’s collection became the largest selection of film memorabilia since the liquidation of Fox in 1970. One of the star pieces was Audrey Hepburn's iconic Ascot dress from the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Used in almost every piece of promotional material for the film, this stunning ensemble was designed by legendary photographer and costume designer Cecil Beaton. Considered to be his 'magnum opus', this dress remains one of the finest costumes ever made for the silver screen. It ended up selling for a staggering $4,551,000 in 2017.
1. Marilyn Monroe’s dress from The Seven Year Itch
The most expensive Hollywood costume is of course associated with one of the most iconic moments in film history: Marilyn Monroe's dress being blown upward in her subway grate scene from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. This remains one of the most well-known and widely-produced images of the movie star. The dress itself, designed by William Travilla, was another feature from the collection of Debbie Reynolds. She bought it directly from Twentieth Century Fox, along with the rest of Marilyn Monroe’s wardrobe, during the auction pre-sale in 1971. In 2011, this legendary white dress was estimated between $1-2 million, and sold for $4.6 million in a Marilyn Monroe memorabilia auction.
