A "fortunate attraction" Christian Dior gown worn by Elizabeth Taylor on the evening she gained greatest actress on the 1961 Oscars is to be bought at public sale subsequent month after being saved in a suitcase in London for over 50 years. It had been assumed the floral print robe with a crimson silk bloom on the waist was already within the Christian Dior archive in Paris.
The truth is, the robe – together with 11 different clothes owned by the star – had been rigorously saved in a big plastic suitcase in her former private assistant's spare room since 1971.
Taylor, accompanied by fourth husband Eddie Fisher, wore the gown designed by Marc Bohan for Dior to the thirty third Academy Awards.
Her relationship with Fisher, whom she was accused of stealing from actor Debbie Reynolds, was thought-about a scandal and had sparked a storm of unfavourable publicity. The outcry had left Taylor satisfied she wouldn't win, mentioned Kerry Taylor, whose specialist classic trend public sale home is promoting the gown.
"She had been the bridesmaid and by no means the bride on the Oscars and on this event she actually did not count on to win having been handed over earlier than and having had all of the unfavourable press over Eddie Fisher," she advised AFP.
After her Oscar triumph, the star got here to treat the gown as "one thing of a fortunate attraction" and took it together with her everywhere in the world.
"Elizabeth Taylor was nonetheless taking this gown from place to put together with her after 10 years. She did not put on it on different events, she simply appreciated to have it together with her," Taylor mentioned.
The clothes within the suitcase have been amongst a big quantity gifted to former worker Anne Sanz, whose husband Gaston labored as Taylor's chauffeur and bodyguard. The couple traveled the world with the actor and her fellow Hollywood star husband Richard Burton on the top of their fame within the Nineteen Sixties and '70s.
However regardless of the Dior gown's sentimental worth, by 1971 Taylor's journey wardrobe was typically operating to 40 big suitcases and he or she was pleased to let it go. The actor opened up her wardrobe at London's Dorchester Resort sooner or later in 1971, telling Sanz "take no matter you want!" Taylor had additionally given Sanz a white cocktail gown and matching bolero for her wedding ceremony.
Different gadgets resulting from be bought embrace Tiziani high fashion by Karl Lagerfeld and a "black widow" gown Taylor wore within the 1967 movie "Increase," additionally by Lagerfeld.
Taylor and Burton have been godparents to the Sanzes' daughter Elizabeth however Anne and Gaston stop after their star employers' second separation, torn over who to proceed working for.
Through the years, Sanz wore a few the attire and gave others away to family and friends, by no means relating to them as significantly vital or precious.
"Anne clearly wore the white matelasse gown for her wedding ceremony and there was one different gown that she wore – a yellow and blue gown with matching coat," Kerry Taylor mentioned.
"However in a way these have been simply second hand attire that belonged to Liz Taylor. So what? This was earlier than celeb mentality grew to become the factor," she added.
The public sale at which the Dior Oscar gown is anticipated to fetch between £40,000-60,000 ($48,000-$73,000) will happen in London on Dec. 6.