Style / Fashion

Julien’s Auctions Celebrates 50 Years of Stylish Women

From Audrey Hepburn to Sarah Jessica Parker, while the sirens of the silver screen may change, their impact on fashion stands the test of time.

Jan 02, 2024 | By Florence Sutton
Nicole Kidman’s Stepford Wives White Iridescent Sequin Gown
(Costume Design By Ann Roth)

In perhaps the best testament to the timelessness of style, Julien’s Auctions has announced their latest curation of its celebrity and luxury fashion category dubbed “Unstoppable: Signature Styles Of Iconic Women In Fashion”. The curation includes a stunning range of high-profile fashion looks designed by some of the most renowned names and houses in couture fashion. The history of these pieces dates back to the glamourous starlets of Hollywood’s Golden Age to today’s trendsetting celebrities and influencers who are defining the essence of modern luxury.

The clothes in this catalogue are imbued in pop-culture and have been worn by the likes of Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Audrey Hepburn, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Elizabeth Taylor and Cher. Designed by the likes of Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, and Valentino to name a few. These creations not only immortalised these women as some of the world’s most photographed stars but also defined eras in fashion and the evolution of celebrity style.

Some of these incomparable pieces include:

Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Sex And The City” Opening Credits Tutu

From one of television’s most “Unstoppable” female characters, Carrie Bradshaw, comes one of her most iconic fashion staples that became a pop culture symbol — her three-tier tutu skirt worn by Sarah Jessica Parker on the hit television hit, Sex and the City. The oyster white tulle three-tier tutu skirt with a matching satin waistband worn by Parker in her Emmy award-winning role in the opening credits of the HBO series during its entire run from 1997-2004 was styled by fashion legend Patricia Field. This famous skirt was purchased by Field, who found it while shopping for the series in New York’s garment district in a five-dollar bin.

John Galliano For Dior Fall 2000 Newspaper Print Dress

One design that became a fashion sensation is this John Galliano for Christian Dior newsprint silk chiffon strapless gown with an asymmetrical ruffled flounce hemline. This design print for Dior became a commercial success when Parker wore a similar version of the Dior Gazette newspaper printed bias-cut cocktail dress in the show’s famous season 3 episode when she has lunch with Big’s wife Natasha played by Bridget Moynahan, who confronts Carrie about her affair with her husband. Since the design’s appearance on the show, it has entered the pop zeitgeist as a coveted fashion must-have.

Audrey Hepburn’s 1970 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Dress Worn to her Son’s Christening

Hepburn wore this empire-waisted Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche matelassé ecru gown with a blue velvet sash to her son Luca’s 1970 christening. The image of her wearing this delicate and demure yet stunning dress highlights Hepburn’s maternal warmth and was published in the 2015 book Audrey At Home by her son Luca Dotti. The dress encompasses all the charm similar to her War and Peace costume by Maria de Mattesis with its fitted bust and Juliette sleeves.

Paris Hilton’s Paris Album Cover Dress By Louis Verdad

From Hepburn’s golden age of Hollywood to the princess of Y2K fashion — hotel heiress The Simple Life star Paris Hilton wore a champagne evening dress with a seamed bustier top and a tulle ruffled petticoat. Designed by Mexican-American designer Louis Verdad, Hilton wore the look on her self-titled 2006 debut album which has now gone on to become part of the pop culture zeitgeist.

Princess Diana’s 1985 Catherine Walker Black Silk Velvet Cocktail Dress

The late Princess Diana was known to break the rules of “royal fashion” during her reign of era-defining style, personal looks, and fashion statements. An example is this black silk velvet cocktail dress created by one of the Princess of Wales’s favorite designers and close collaborators, Catherine Walker. She wore this dress to a private event and it features an off-the-shoulder neckline, a princess-seamed bodice with boning, and bias-cut ivory satin accents sewn at the neckline, cuffs, and hem. 

As we move forward into a new year with new designers, different muses and fresh points of references, it is also important to value the styles of legends past and present and how they each played a role in shaping the world of fashion today. Perhaps it is a Coco Chanel quote that best summarises this curation — “fashion comes and goes but style is forever”.

Elements of this article was referenced from Julien’s Auctions

The Unstoppable: Signature Styles Of Iconic Women In Fashion auction will be available on Thursday, 18 January 2024.

For more information, contact info@juliensauctions.com or call 310-836-1818.

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