Thursday, December 03, 2009

Audrey Hepburn Auction

In case you hadn't heard, the Audrey Hepburn auction will take place on December 8th in London. Right now 360 pieces of clothing, accessories, momentos, sketch and photos are on display in Paris.
Somehow this Dutch-British yet Belgian born ('American') actress epidomizes every fantasy we have about Paris. Granted she made quite a few films set in Paris, so with good reason:
Paris - When It Sizzles
Two for the Road
How to Steal a Million
Charade
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Funny Face
Sabrina

And granted she became the canvas for Parisien designer, Givenchy to paint many of his finest creations on. They were both mad for each other. She was his muse, he was her best friend and co-creator of her inimitable style.

The collection of pieces on sale are cast-offs given by Hepburn to a long-time teen-age friend of many years, Tanja Star-Busmann. The two met in London when Tanja was 15 years old and Hepburn 20 – just before her career took off.
"I was perhaps her first unofficial fan – writing letters to her from boarding school and receiving replies," Star-Busmann, who is now in her 70s, wrote in the auction catalog. In addition to letters – some of which are to be sold – Hepburn also regularly gave her young confidant her hand-me-downs, which became increasingly fabulous as her star rose".

"Over the years, a cavalcade of boxes filled to the brim ... arrived at my door," wrote Star-Busmann. "Unpacking them was always like Xmas all over."

I read somewhere that Hepburn's clothes closets were practically the size of football fields.
“Some people dream of owning a swimming pool. I dream of bigger closets.”

And every single piece of clothing was color-coded and meticulously, if not maniacally organized. Was Audrey a bit OCD?

Sigh...my own closet is everyone's nightmare. Can’t find a thing bc it’s mostly lying on the floor…

Well it's perfectly understandable that Audrey would have to make room for new additions is it not?

I simply do not know the right people.

Everyone knows Audrey was a huge fan of French designers YSL, Givenchy, Madame Gres bien sur.

But she experimented plenty with newer more avant garde designers too: Alaia, Bill Gibbs, Jean-Paul Gautier, Comme des Garcons, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood.

Audrey was the queen of the little black dress (LBD) - the simple Givenchy creation she donned for her date with Humphrey Bogart in Sabrina - to die for forever!

I promise you, you'll have a ball looking at the lots in the auction.

There's always a dog in the story. "Mr.Famous", Audrey's adorable Yorkie turns up in many of fashion shots in the auction.

Here are 4 "Famous" Yorkie pups waiting for Audrey to finish her shoot in Paris. I was lucky to see Audrey Hepburn win the Society of Lincoln Center award at a gala tribute in 1991. She was every bit as gracious and lovely as you can imagine.
Bonjour Audrey, we will always love you

29 comments:

  1. Love your piece on Audrey, quelle elegance, thank you very much!
    Mais, she had a dutch ( aristocratic) mother & grandparents. I know, very close ot Belgium, but still....

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  2. If you haven't, you must see Billy Wilder's "Love in the Afternoon." Hepburn, Cooper, Chevalier, the Hotel Ritz...how much better can it get? The opening scene shows Chevalier spying on Cooper in the Ritz from the top of the Vendome column. Priceless.

    Chas

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  3. I am so delighted that you have done this post and found such fabulous photos to go with it! I love that little black dress and mask that Audrey wears in How to Steal a Million.

    And thanks to Chas for the movie recommendation.

    I really enjoy your blog. Merci.

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  4. I enjoyed your post on Audrey Hepburn! Just came across your blog through Flickr. Love your blog and your artwork =)

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  5. Valérie-jeanne11:43 AM

    Love Audrey! Thanks for the beautiful post. My all time favorite movie is Charade - the clothes, Paris and great wit. Gotta see it!

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  6. Elizabeth11:50 AM

    Thanks for the news about the Hepburn auction. Didn't know about it. It will be fun to check it out!

    Elizabeth

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  7. Thanks for the correction!
    What would I do without you smart PBers...
    I've seen every movie Audrey made many times over of course!

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  8. I LOVED and still do love Audrey Hepburn. She just ooozed charm and style. I have most of the movies you mentioned. Lucky you to have seen her in person. She died much much to young. Thanks for this post today.

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  9. Oh and.. Cant forget to mention your lovely painting too. I love all of these you do.

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  10. I adore Audrey, thank you for such a lovely post about her! Do you mind if I also share on my blog? (crediting you of course ;-)
    I'd love to see her clothing in person. She has such a lovely spirit I think that why we love her so much.

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  11. Cynthia12:22 PM

    Great post about Audrey....such style that woman had....now I realize why...when you actually name the designers she was wearing.
    As I look at some of the cuts of clothing on your post,,,I see them reappearing here in Munich in the fashion of today. Real style never goes out of fashion I guess.
    Love your blog!!!

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  12. Some years back I was asked by the producers of the PBS series Great Gardens of the World, which Miss Hepburn stared in, to have a rose named for her. After several snail mail communications we finally spoke on the phone to find out what kind and color of rose she would like to carry her name. We finally decided on a lovely pale pink Hybrid Tea rose even though she would have chosen a white, if a good one would have been available. The 'Audrey Hepburn' rose was introduced in 1991 and now is only available in one nursery in The Netherlands and two in Japan.

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  13. Audrey was tres tres chic, n'est pas?

    Sorry couldn't help putting a bit of my schoolgirl French in there for you.

    Your English is excellent by the way.

    Asolutely love your post on Audrey, some lovely items in the auction.

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  14. Tres chic!!
    loved you painting!!!

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  15. Carol thanks so much for digging up those pics and posting them! I had a little look around earlier in the week with no luck. Love that tasseled hat. Who but Audrey could pull it off? How bad would it be to have Givenchy as your best buddy?! And you so lucky to see her in the flesh. Managed something like that w/ Jeanne Moreau (almost as good) at the AF in NYC. She had a terrible cold tho' and cut short her presentation! Dommage. Milles mercis!

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  16. I'm a huge Audrey Hepburn fan. I remember her saying that during the war, she and her mother ate tulip bulbs out of the ground, she was so starving, so she really remembered the CARE packages that were dropped for people--it was what influenced her to become active with UNICEF. She knew the impact it had on her own life. I have always loved her--such a kind, dear soul, and absolutely beautiful, to boot. (Joe's daughter-in-law often reminds me of Audrey.)

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  17. She was always one of my favorites. She has such a unique look.
    I loved "Roman Holiday" (I know, wrong town) - I think that she looked particularly beautiful in that film.

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  18. What fun to be able to go to that Auction..
    Bet that green hat will fetch a
    pretty penny.
    Wasn't she just elegant.

    yvonne

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  19. absolute beauty !
    A+C+++++

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  20. Rhonda7:03 PM

    I love Paris!
    My friend sent me this mornings post of Paris Breakfasts featuring Audrey Hepburn. Next week I am giving a party with an Audrey theme so this was so timely.

    I collected vintage clothing and have been giving fashion shows for organizations with a community need for over 20 years. What I would not give to have something of Audrey's...
    Thanks very much,
    Rhonda

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  21. I love her. So chic! She could have been a parisian. LOL!

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  22. Anonymous2:49 PM

    Thank you for the information about Audrey's auction. Enjoyed looking at the items up for bid.

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  23. Would one even dare to slip these dresses on if one were to have the opportunity?!? Uh-mazing.
    ___________________
    Great advice on Paris travel deals

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  24. Forever Audrey
    how can we resist
    her charms?

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  25. This is such a perfect post - thanks for sharing!

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  26. I dare not tell my daughter Sara about this sale she would be selling her house. She also looks just like Audrey

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  27. Hello, doll! Love your blog! If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Breakfast at Tiffany's set in New York?

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  28. I am an auction lover. So every news related to the auction makes me very happy. Thanks for keeping us updated.

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