Our Spring Fashion and Accessories auction on March 19 is the first of five Couture auctions for 2020. This impressive auction includes nearly 300 lots gathered from private collections and museums from around the US. The material ranges from the early 20th century to 2018 and includes women’s and men’s clothing and accessories.

The auction opens with a rare Mariano Fortuny “Peplos” dress made in Venice around 1910; the dress is made of a fine pleated silk that is finished with white Venetian glass beads. Fortuny was part of a new generation of designers who created women’s clothing meant to be worn without a corset. The tiny pleats in the fabric accentuated the natural lines of the female form.

Items from museum collections are sold in this auction, including a beaded Flapper dress (Lot 4), a collection of Edwardian menswear (Lot 5), vintage millinery (Lots 94-96) and numerous 1980s cocktail and evening ensembles (Lots 26-27). These items are sold to benefit the Art Acquisition Fund at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfield.

Dozens of Chanel clothing items and accessories are available, dating from the 1970s to 2018, including separates, suits, bags and costume jewelry. While the collection is strong with items made from the 1970s to the early 1980s, the auction also contains an example from nearly every year that Karl Lagerfeld worked for Chanel.

Contemporary and avante-garde designs are celebrated in this auction with examples from Thierry Mugler, Valentino, Vivienne Westwood, Martin Margiela, Rick Owens and Alexander McQueen. Six items by important Japanese designers are included, such as iconic 1990s designs by Issey Miyake and a convertible 2009 dress by Junya Watanabe.

If handbags are what you seek, we have a compelling array from vintage Judith Leiber to a graffiti-covered 2018 design by Balenciaga. Hermes and Louis Vuitton are well-represented with many beautiful silk scarves available, as well two, perfect-for-spring Birkins.

The auction closes with two rare Louis Vuitton steamer trunks from the late 19th century. The first was made in the 1880s or early 1890s, shortly after the ‘Damier’ fabric was first introduced. This fabric became iconic to the brand and is also featured on a more recent piece from Louis Vuitton, the Porte-Documents Voyage in Lot 279.

The sale is live online on March 19, 2020. Please note, the preview will be available by appointment only.

Online / Chicago