Princess Diana’s Dresses and Star Trek Costumes Take the Lead at Julien’s Auctions’ Hollywood Memorabilia Auction

For the first time in history, costumes, dresses, jewelry, behind-the-scenes production material, photographs, memorabilia, artifacts, and ephemera from legendary films produced by Warner Bros. were offered at public auction in September. All the lots were offered by the storied Hollywood studio of Warner Bros. in collaboration with Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) to honor Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary.

Legends: Hollywood & Royalty was a premium sale for the public to experience and relive timeless moments in pop culture history. This Hollywood memorabilia auction presented an exclusive collection of over 1,400 objects synonymous with Hollywood’s greatest legends and famous cultural figures, including Princess Diana. Also featured was property from Dennis Hopper, an acclaimed actor of the iconic films Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Rebel Without a Cause, and Apocalypse Now. 

Royal glamor and style have captured Hollywood and the public’s imagination for centuries. On the occasion of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, a scarlet metallic jacquard chiffon gown worn by Princess Diana was auctioned. She wore this eye-catching gown by Bruce Oldfield on several occasions, twice in 1989 and once on November 18, 1991 to the world premiere of Hot Shots! in London. The film premiered at the Odeon Leicester in 1991 with President Arpad Goncz of Hungary and his wife Szusza in attendance. The gown sold in this Hollywood memorabilia auction for USD 571,500. 

Princess Diana had the whole world as an audience, mesmerized by her and her gowns. This scarlet metallic gown was no exception. Oldfield designed this gown with loose hand-gathered bust, sloped ruched shoulders, and fitted ruched bodice from under the bust to below the hips. The label “Bruce Oldfield, Custom Made, London” is present. Diana frequently wore more daring styles by Bruce Oldfield, especially in the mid-1980s.

Audrey Hepburn met Hubert Givenchy on a fateful trip in Rome in 1953. When these two stars met, they forged a deep and unchanging friendship and fashion love affair that lasted more than 40 years, until Hepburn’s death. They collaborated on iconic dresses in films such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and Sabrina (1954). This iconic vibrant flamingo pink silk, satin, and organza evening dress was designed by Givenchy for Hepburn in the role of Holly Golightly, an eccentric but beautiful socialite in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It sold for $444,500. 

Hepburn appears in this dress towards the end of the film. Her character, Holly, returns from a night out and learns her brother Fred is dead. The scene showcases Hepburn’s emotional range, one moment buoyant and bubbly, the next moment completely heartbroken. Paul, a friend who loves her (played by George Peppard), tries to comfort Holly, who violently tears apart her apartment until she collapses in Paul’s arms. This brightly-colored dress offers a spark of hope that the character will get through the dark times and return to happiness.

Other extraordinary highlights of the recent Hollywood memorabilia auction include a pair of 14-karat gold and black cultured pearl cufflinks gifted to Humphrey Bogart by Lauren Bacall; Princess Leia’s slave costume from Star Wars – Return of the Jedi; and a terrifying one-of-a-kind production-used Xenomorph head from Alien, fabricated by famed Shepperton Design Studios from an original design by Academy Award-winning artist H.R. Giger. William Shatner’s Starfleet Command Jacket worn in Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan was another notable lot; it sold for $127,000. 

Visit Julien’s Auctions for the complete Hollywood memorabilia auction results, and find other notable auction results on Auction Daily.