When British pop icon Marianne Faithfull died this January, her storied obituaries were punctuated with outfits, upon outfits, upon outfits.
Faithfull first gained fame in the 1960s, when she dropped out of school after meeting The Rolling Stones.
She became a singer and entered into a highly publicised relationship with Mick Jagger — and the two became legends of the swinging London party scene.
While Faithfull is well known for her Sixties and Seventies style, she remained a fashion icon throughout her life.
In a new auction, fans will be able to purchase some of her most memorable outfits from the 2000s, from Alaïa leather coats to Chanel silk suits by Karl Lagerfeld.
The auction is part of Kerry Taylor Auctions’ Passion for Fashion series, which has previously included an Oscar gown worn by Elizabeth Taylor, a Vivienne Westwood cape worn on the runway by Kate Moss, and a bombshell black cutout dress worn by Emily Ratajkowski to the Harper's Bazaar Icons awards party in 2016.
Faithfull’s auction collection includes 20 items, many of which were worn by Faithfull to memorable public events.
One such item is a Chanel haute couture by Karl Lagerfeld black satin double-breasted jacket, made in 1998 and worn for Marianne Faithfull's performance at L'Olympia on 21st October 2002.
Another Lagerfeld for Chanel highlight comes in the form of a floor-length, sheer blouse in blush pink, which features a distinctive ruffle at the centre of the ribcage.
There is also a black satin suit made by John Galliano, worn by Faithfull for the taping of her Live in Hollywood DVD at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Marianne appears on the cover artwork of the DVD and CD wearing the suit, and she wore it throughout her Before The Poison tour in 2005.
“This auction is a celebration of Marianne Faithfull not only as a musical and cultural trailblazer, but also as a fashion icon whose personal style resonated with authenticity and defiance,” says auction house specialist Alex Baddeley.
“Each piece in this collection tells a story — of a woman whose life and art were inseparable from what she wore.”
Marianne Faithfull’s final EP, Burning Moonlight, is released worldwide to streaming platforms on 6 June, and is followed by the re-issue of her complete Decca recordings this summer.
Kerry Taylor Auctions’ full Passion for Fashion catalogue will go live this week and will include other important collections, such as the Zandra Rhodes archive.
Viewing times for the collection will take place on June 13, June 15, and June 16, with additional viewing times considered upon special request. Happy bidding!
