This November Christie’s presents Vintage Couture, a beautifully curated auction of fashion and accessories including dresses, shoes and handbags, which features designs by Pierre Balmain, Chanel, Chloe, Ossie Clark, Oscar De La Renta, Christian Dior, Fortuny, Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Emilio Habana, Hermès, Christian Lacroix, Christian Louboutin, Jean Patou, Zandra Rhodes, Elsa Schiaperelli, Versace, Yamamoto, YSL and more.
Also among the items will be a selection of fragile but dazzling couture gowns from the wardrobe of late Spanish Hollywood film star, Cátalina Bárcena, whose early 20th century collection of Lanvin – undeniably the most influential couturière of the 1920’s and 1930’s – were made exclusively for her in Jeanne Lanvin’s Parisian workshops. Inspired by the typical bell-shapes and elaborate embellished silhouettes of Marie Antoinette at Versailles, Bárcena’s Lanvin dresses formed part of a love affair with the luxury house which lasted for most of her career.
Her immaculately kept wardrobe travelled with her to Buenos Aires (where she went into exile after the outbreak of The Spanish Civil War) and then on to Madrid, where she spent her days once her acting career was over, eventually passing away in 1978 at the age of 90. Her wardrobe was previously on permanent loan to Madrid’s Museo del Traje, unseen in the archives – this auction at Christie’s marks the first time in over 40 years that Bárcena’s couture collection will be seen by the public.
Cátalina Bárcena. Image © Christies, 2012
With over thirty-five years of auctions dedicated to fashion, Christie’s will present the Vintage Couture sale via a two-week online-only auction of 59 lots which will open for bids at 2pm GMT on Friday, 16 November – to be held alongside a live auction (at which lots will be accessible to both internet and real-time bids) of 91 lots to be held on 29 November at 10.30am.
All items are also on display at Christie’s Old Brompton Road galleries in South Kensington, London, from 24 to 28 November 2012; for more info head to christies.com
