Hindman’s ‘Luxe Holiday, Featuring Property from Ebony Fashion Fair: The Final Show’ Exceeds Expectations and Sets Records

Chicago- Hindman’s December 6 auction Luxe Holiday featuring Property from Ebony Fashion Fair: The Final Show was a smashing success. The auction realized over $360,000 against a presale low estimate of $169,000. The sale, which featured 343 lots, mostly comprised items from the last collection of Ebony Fashion Fair available at auction. 

Created in Chicago at Johnson Publishing Company in 1958 by the company’s co-founder, Eunice Walker Johnson, Ebony Fashion Fair became the world’s largest traveling fashion show and was featured in cities around the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The auction included iconic and exceptionally rare designs by Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Paco Rabanne, Emanuel Ungaro, Pierre Cardin, Patrick Kelly, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Issey Miyake, Bob Mackie, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Christian LaCroix and many more.

The top lot of the sale, a Chloé by Karl Lagerfeld ‘Shower’ dress, Autumn/Winter 1983, shattered its presale estimate of $2,000-$3000, realizing $32,500 and not only set a world auction record for a dress sold by the designer but is also now the top selling garment at Hindman.

Other highlights included, a Christian Dior Haute Couture dress with matching bracelet  that sold for $9,375 against a presale estimate of $1,000-1,500, an Emanuel Ungaro Haute Couture wedding dress, 1996-97 that sold for $9,375 against a presale estimate of $2,000-$3,000, and a Lancetti evening dress with wrap, 2000s that sold for $5,500 against a presale estimate of $200-$400.

Timothy Long, Director of Couture and Luxury Accessories, stated: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with such an important collection and to bring it to a wide and thoroughly excited audience, which included museums, private collections, stylists, schools, the general public and former Ebony Fashion Fair models. I look forward to seeing some of the items from this auction in future fashion exhibitions.”

The Couture and Luxury Accessories department is currently accepting consignments for spring auctions. For complete sale results, visit www.hindmanauctions.com.