Elizabeth Taylor’s celebrated Christian Dior dress, famously worn on the night she won the Best Actress award at the 1961 Oscars, is set to be auctioned next month. This remarkable gown, adorned with a crimson silk bloom at the waist, was believed to have been archived in Paris. However, it was discovered, along with 11 other of Taylor’s garments, stored meticulously in a plastic suitcase in her former personal assistant’s London home since 1971.
Accompanied by her fourth husband, Eddie Fisher, Taylor donned this dress, designed by Marc Bohan for Dior, at the 33rd Academy Awards. At that time, her relationship with Fisher had garnered significant scandal and negative publicity, causing Taylor to doubt her chances of winning.
Following her Oscar victory, Taylor considered the dress a «lucky charm» and carried it with her during her travels worldwide. Despite being over a decade old, she retained a strong attachment to the gown.
The garments found in the suitcase were part of a generous gift given to Anne Sanz, a former employee whose husband had worked as Taylor’s chauffeur and bodyguard. Taylor and her then-husband, Richard Burton, traveled extensively during their fame in the 1960s and 70s.
The auction, which includes Taylor’s Dior Oscar dress, is expected to fetch between £40,000-60,000 ($48,000-$73,000) and is scheduled for December 6 in London.»
