Whitney Houston’s Clothes, ‘Bodyguard’ Earrings Hit Auction Block
Whitney Houston's wardrobe has wasted no time in hitting the auction block following her tragic death on February 11.
The Hollywood Legends auction hosted by Julien's Auctions on March 31 and April 1 will feature a floor-length, black velvet gown once owned by the late singer, as well as a vest and faux-pearl earrings worn during the making of her 1992 film, The Bodyguard, the Associated Press reports.
The Beverly Hills-based auction, however, is unlikely to threaten the records set by Elizabeth Taylor's iconic wardrobe and jewelry collections. Auctioneer Darren Julien, who acquired the pieces soon after Houston's untimely death, has valued the vest at $400 to $600, the earrings at $600 to $800, and the dress, which boasts long sleeves and gem embellishments, at $1,000 to $2,000.
"It proves a point that these items, they’re an investment,” Julien, in an interview with the AP, says of his decision to cash in. “You buy items just like a stock. Buy at the right time and sell at the right time, and they just increase in value.”
“It’s a celebration of her life. If you hide these things in fear that you’re going to offend someone—her life is to be celebrated. These items are historic now that she passed. They become a part of history. They should be in museums. She’s lived a life and had a career that nobody else has ever had. For people who are fans of Whitney Houston and never would have had a chance to meet her and never got to talk to her, these are items that literally touched a part of her life. They are a way to relate to her or be a part of her life without having known her.”
Hollywood memorabilia such as Charlie Chaplin's cane, a costume from Batman Returns, and a jacket worn by Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind will also be up for sale, as will a Christian Dior dress worn by Princess Diana.
