On June 19, 2011,the Ascot dress and hat worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 Academy Award-winning film, “My Fair Lady,” sold at auction for an incredible $3.7 million. The ensemble was designed by Cecil Beaton and was sold from the Debbie Reynolds Collection. Originally, the actress Debbie Reynolds paid $100,000 for the outfit.
Worn by Miss Hepburn in the most memorable scene in the film, it is perhaps the most famous garment ever designed for a motion picture and, most assuredly, Mr. Beaton’s magnum opus.
For more on Audrey Hepburn, click here.
Thank you for sharing!
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[…] I request more classic cosplays guys? I adore Audrey Hepburn and her black and white Ascot dress is one of my unicorns. Its so heartbreakingly beautiful and I’ve never seen it cosplayed. […]
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Hello! Lovely site, it looks so fun! I am currently reading Todd Fisher’s book “My Girls” about his life with sister Carrie Fisher and mother, Debbie Reynolds, and his account of buying the “Ascot dress” is very interesting and doesn’t match your account – which is understandable, so many biographers hear a bit here, a bit there, sew it together… and it’s not quite correct.
Long story here’s the shortest version. All the “My Fair Lady” costumes had been stolen from the studio. Somehow, Todd Fisher bought Rex’s Harrison’s costume, the Ascot suit, Debbie said “that was dumb, it’s worthless without the Audrey (at Ascot) dress”, eventually the dress was auctioned & sold for $100,000, to the disappointment of Fisher – who had called Audrey Hepburn ‘s son, Sean, to help buy it.
Fisher later received a phone call that the winning bidder changed their mind & offered it to him for the original $100k. Fisher said that was too much, sorry, and they finally settled on $15,000 and a few costumes of lesser value from Debbie’s collection.
And now it’s gone for crazy amounts more, a bit mind blowing! I haven’t read that far but I’m curious if Todd sold it.
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Vail, thanks for interesting insight. Reading history and biography, one encounters many versions of a story. Todd Fisher’s adds one more to the mix. Thanks, Lisa
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