The Most Expensive Dresses Ever Sold at Auction
In the art world, rare paintings and sculptures are known to fetch millions at auction—and it seems fashion lovers are becoming just as serious about collecting some of the most expensive dresses in the world too. Over the years, striking pieces worn by pop-culture icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana have hit the auction block, commanding hefty sums at both public and private sales; the value of vintage and historic garments is steadily increasing.
Case in point: Earlier this month a rare Paco Rabanne dress sold on Fair Warning—a new, highly curated auction platform—for $112,100. The dress, from the spring 1967 collection, was made of chain-link aluminum squares and rectangular plates. Its sale price was a world record for a Paco Rabanne piece. “This dress is probably 10 times rarer than a lot of artists’s artworks from the ’60s,” says Loic Gouzer, founder of Fair Warning. “[Paco Rabanne] said in an interview somewhere that women had become warriors, so he decided to give them an armor. I think this is something that resonates even more in a bigger way today. There was definitely a recognition that this dress should be considered as a very rare and important artwork and something you would want to have as a collector.”
It’s not the only expensive dress that has sold at auction, however. In years past, high-profile dresses have even fetched a few million dollars—among them Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress that flew up above a subway grate and one of Princess Diana’s most-photographed gowns. Ahead, Vogue takes a look at some of these very special (and very expensive) pieces.
Behold: more of the most expensive dresses ever sold at auction.
Photo: Nina Slavcheva1/9Paco Rabanne’s 1967 dress
In April 2024, a rare Paco Rabanne dress sold on Fair Warning—a new, highly curated auction platform—for $112,100. The dress, from the spring 1967 collection, was made of chain-link aluminum squares and rectangular plates. Its sale price was a world record for a Paco Rabanne piece.
Photo: Getty Images2/9Princess Diana’s Jacques Azagury dress
In January 2024, a Jacques Azagury gown—once worn by Princess Diana in Florence in the 1980s—fetched $1,148,080 at the Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies’ Hollywood Legends sale. It set a world record for being the most expensive Princess Diana dress ever sold at auction.
Photo: Getty Images3/9Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy dress
In 2006, the black Givenchy gown worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s sold at a Christie’s auction for $807,000—seven times its presale estimate.
Photo: Getty Images4/9Marilyn Monroe’s Jean Louis dress
In 2016, the Jean Louis “naked” dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962—when she notably sang “Happy Birthday” to President JFK—sold for $4.8 million at a Julien's Auction sale. It was purchased by Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and famously worn by Kim Kardashian to the 2022 Met Gala.
Photo: Getty Images5/9Kate Middleton’s sheer dress
In 2011, a sheer dress worn by Kate Middleton sold for $125,000 through a Kerry Taylor Auctions sale. Middleton donned the dress as a student during the annual University of St. Andrews Don't Walk charity fashion show; it’s believed that the show is where Prince William first became attracted to his now wife.
