Last month, the Eppli auction house in Stuttgart presented a vintage suit created by John Galliano for the Christian Dior boutique collection of 1997/98 as part of its auction of designer fashion and accessories. The wool and cashmere blend outfit, featuring a long skirt and wide turn-down collar, was valued at €200-900 before the auction.
Hard anyone could anticipate what happened next. After opening the bidding at €200, a tense battle followed between two interested parties from France and Hollywood. The latter ultimately won, acquiring the ensemble for €30,000 (approximately £25,610), surpassing the initial price by a staggering 150-fold.
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British designer John Galliano, who established his own fashion company in 1984, was appointed chief designer of women's fashion at Christian Dior in October 1996. The current suit represents one of Galliano's early creations for the esteemed French luxury brand, which experienced a sort of 'rejuvenation' with the Brit's imaginative and occasionally eccentric designs acclaimed for their impeccable tailoring.
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John Galliano's designs can fetch six-figure prices on the auction market. The fact that Eppli has now seen such a dramatic price increase "underlines the cultural value of such fashion pieces and the enduring fascination for unusual fashion pieces by well-known designers" as the auction house explains on its website.
