Elizabeth Taylor 's extensive collection of designer clothing, including haute couture by Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves St. Laurent, will be sold at Christie's auction in New York, according to Reuters. Amongst the items will be the chiffon dress Taylor wore for her first wedding to actor Richard Burton.
Nearly 400 items will be sold over a four-day sale in December. Marc Porter, chairman and president of Christie's America, said, "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". The sale, spanning from December 13th to December 16th, will feature 50 years of the late Hollywood star's fashion as well as her fine art, memorabilia and jewellery. The collection was previewed in Moscow earlier this month, drawing nearly 6,000 visitors. It will make stops in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Geneva, Los Angeles and New York before going under the hammer. Known for her love for fashion, diamonds and gold, Taylor's estate has been estimated to be worth around $500 million. Christie's curator Meredith Etherington-Smith described the fashion items as "a highly personal collection", saying, "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 Ferre".
The legendary actress died of congestive heart failure earlier this year - she was 79-years-old. A portion of the proceeds from exhibitions related to the auction will be donated to the Elizabeth Taylor Aids foundation.