The 102 lots on the block last night at Christie’s in London raised £476,800 (about $742,000) for Daphne Guinness’s charity, the Isabella Blow Foundation. The event was expected to bring in £100,000, or nearly $160,000. Ha! In fact, according to the Telegraph, two of Guinness’s treasures sold for record-breaking amounts:
The top lot of the sale was Daphne Guinness, a portrait taken by fashion photographer Mario Testino for British Vogue in 2008 which realised £133,250 — setting a new world record price for Testino in the process.
Another world record price was set for British label Alexander McQueen: an ivory, empire-line gown along with a photograph by Mat Collishaw of Guinness wearing the dress featured in UK Harper’s Bazaar magazine earlier this year fetched £85,250 — far higher than the £15,000-20,000 estimate.
The Daily Mail speculates that said McQueen gown was purchased by none other than Lady Gaga (both the Telegraph and British Vogue confirm that the singer took home a piece or several, but couldn’t say for sure what she won). Later in the night, Guinness tweeted: “THANK YOU my friend Lady Gaga. You are a real person. and a great one! Your proof of friendship, your time was very touching XXXX.” Just a couple of heel-less-shoe lovers making a difference. Nothing is more beautiful or precariously balanced.
Update: WWD reports that Lady Gaga did buy the McQueen dress, paying $133,075. She’ll probably wear it to the airport.
