Whether haute couture or boutique fashion, the names were dazzling: Armani, Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior, Gianfranco Ferre, Givenchy, Gucci, Hermès, Lacroix, Lagerfeld, Thierry Mugler, Yves Saint Laurent, Ungaro, Versace, Vuitton, among many more. Catalogue estimates started at a modest 30 Swiss francs (US $29) for a Max Mara cashmere and cotton skirt, and went up to 6,000 francs (US $5,815) each for two Hermès Kelly crocodile handbags.
The 40 Valentino outfits – day ensembles, cocktail dresses and evening gowns, some fur-trimmed – were very modestly estimated at between 200 and 1,200 francs ($194 to $1,162). They were mostly from the designer's 1977 to 1985 haute couture collections. Sizes of the dresses were usually US 8, with a few 6s and 10s. In general, this was a sale for your smaller woman, from a US 2, with only about a dozen outfits in sizes 12 to 18. In fact, the Max Mara skirt, a ‘’large’’, caused howls of laughter when it was held up and the room got a view of the waist width; the auctioneer had to beg for somebody to place a bid, and the item was finally sold for 20 francs ($19).
In The Hôtel des Ventes Sale Room
It was standing room only in the small space packed for the evening sale, with an estimated 200 in attendance, a mix of socialites, people in the fashion business, fashion students and bargain hunters. There were a respectable number of written bids on the books as well, and lively phone bidding for key lots.
The Hôtel des Ventes (HdV) is not a top-tier auction room by comparison with Sotheby’s, Christies and other internationally active firms that conduct auctions in Geneva, but it is the best known of the local firms and under director Bernard Piguet has made significant improvements in the quality of items it puts on the block. Sales catalogues and results are now also available online.
If the 300 fashion lots (from different owners) ended up here and not with one of the big firms, it’s likely that no single owner’s consignment would have been deemed of high enough value to interest buyers like the big institutional collections. Some of the boutique items in the HdV sale had the feel of a stock clear-out, in fact.
So Piguet’s take – low estimates mostly without reserve prices geared to an overwhelmingly local public, with the best lots there for the bidding by any other folks interested – was the right one. He accurately felt the pulse of a market in which some are selling (to raise cash or because they no longer want to be bothered with expensive, high maintenance possessions), others are there to pick the items up but only if the price is super right, while the truly exceptional quality piece will always be of interest to major collectors and otherwise and thus fetch more.
Most Sought-After Fashion At The HdV Sale
For women’s fashion, the rule was: if it’s utterly simple, classic, timeless, then go for it. This was the case for an exquisite beaded, form-fitting, sleeveless Pucci top (high estimate 250, hammer price 400 francs or $387), and a Sonia Rykiel little black number with bag (high estimate 300, hammer price 850 francs or $823). Some splendidly embroidered Moroccan caftans all did very well. A romantic, round-necked, sleeveless, embroidered 1962 silk dress by Balenciaga, with just a bit of fullness to the skirt to offset a small waist, jumped its 300 high estimate to 2,200 francs ($2,131).
Overall, the Valentino prices were a poor show, shockingly so if the extraordinary design talent and astonishing fabrics and workmanship are taken into account, and the fact that Valentino stopped creating Haute Couture in 2008. Only elongated, close-to-the-body, contemporary looks did relatively well, four evening dresses in the 1,500 to 4,000 franc range ($1,453-3,874), and four cocktail outfits, one sable-trimmed, that made 1,000 francs ($968) each.
Of the other 32 lots, eight made less than 190 francs ($184), the rest between 200 and 950 ($194-920), including five exquisite full-skirted evening gowns. Overall, however, the 40 Valentino Couture outfits came in just below the total of their top estimates which was around 26,000 francs ($25,000); they fetched around 25,000 francs.
Hermès: A Consistent Value
The top prices of the evening were made by items from the French house of Hermès. A deep blue cashmere and fur man’s MacFarlane (coat with attached cape), estimated at 400-600 francs ($387-581), made 7,000 francs ($6,780). Silk shirts and other items for men made well over estimate, including a hunting outfit comprising a poncho and hat with matching dog coat. Lots of ladies’ Hermès silk scarves, gloves and belts held their own as well, and the entire sale’s topmost price was achieved by a black crocodile Kelly bag that sold for 16,000 francs ($15,500). A brown version fetched 9,000 francs ($8,716), while a blue and beige leather Birkin bag came in at 5,000 francs ($4,843). A black crocodile briefcase made 6,800 francs ($6,586).
The popularity of these items owes to their good condition but also to the fact that prices for the same models new are in excess of what was paid here, and there may sometimes be a several-year long wait before the item can be made and delivered.
Jesurum Linens Were Big Sellers
An additional 30 lots comprising top-of-the-range linens were also auctioned during the fashion sale. Seven of those lots – with the exception of an Hermès throw blanket, all table or bed linen by the Venice firm of Jesurum – made between 1,000 and 1,700 francs ($968-1,646). Top prices were achieved by two lots that included Jesurum lace table cloths dating from the late 19th century (Jesurum was founded in 1870), which went for 4,000 and 5,000 francs ($3,874-4,843) respectively. A late 19th century beige lace cloth 213 x 190 cm (7’ x 6.2’) on its own fetched 6,500 francs ($6,295). All of these hammer prices were well over the highest estimates.
 |
