When Fashion Becomes Art: Film Costumes at Auction

In December 2023, a white silk coat with oversized fur trim sold for $120,000 at Sotheby’s New York. Designed by Patricia Field for Meryl Streep's character Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada 2, this garment signifies the recognition of film costumes as cultural artifacts. Sotheby’s catalog called it a “symbol of cinematic power dressing,” but its significance extends beyond wardrobe.

Costumes contribute to storytelling, yet their acknowledgment as standalone art has been slow. Historical examples exist: Marilyn Monroe’s white halter dress from The Seven Year Itch (1955) sold for $4.6 million at a 2011 auction by Profiles in History. Recent exhibitions like Hollywood Costume (2012, Victoria & Albert Museum) and Reel to Real (2016, Los Angeles County Museum of Art) have shifted perceptions, framing these garments as art rather than memorabilia.

Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis, a costume designer and director of the David C. Copley Center for Costume Design at UCLA, asserts that this shift is overdue. “A costume is not simply clothing; it’s a visual tool for character development and narrative,” she explained in a 2020 lecture. Recognizing the craftsmanship in these designs reveals their connection to fine art.

The renewed interest in costumes as collectible art stems from their scarcity. Productions often recycle costumes or store them away, with few surviving intact. According to Sotheby’s auctioneer Cassandra Holbrook, bidders seek the cultural memory of the object. “You’re not purchasing a coat,” she said at a recent press preview. “You’re acquiring a piece of Miranda Priestly, and by extension, her entire world.”

Not all costume auctions command six-figure prices. An original Breakfast at Tiffany’s Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn sold for $92,000 last year at Julien’s Auctions. This variance in value highlights how context—storyline, actor, and cultural resonance—shapes perception. The interplay between fashion’s fleeting nature and film’s lasting impact enriches the cultural significance of costumes, which Dr. Landis describes as “time capsules in fabric.”

The influence of haute couture on costume design is often overlooked. For The Devil Wears Prada 2, Patricia Field collaborated with luxury houses like Chanel and Balenciaga while also engaging artisans from lesser-known Parisian ateliers. Atelier Legrand custom-embroidered the lapels of Priestly’s gala tuxedo, a detail visible only in high-resolution stills. Some pieces incorporated vintage fabrics, adding historical depth. These narratives blur the lines between ready-to-wear, couture, and costume, merging functional and artistic intent.

Exhibitions elevate these items beyond celebrity memorabilia. The Kyoto Costume Institute's acquisition of 25 film costumes in 2022, including pieces from Atonement and Black Panther, marked a shift from pop-cultural curiosity to scholarly artifact. Curator Keiko Arai described the acquisitions as “tools of identity construction, compelling viewers to reassess the function of clothing within narrative.”

The auction spotlight raises ethical questions about preservation versus commercialization. Costumes in museums benefit from conservation methods ensuring longevity for public study. In contrast, privately sold pieces may disappear into collections, inaccessible to researchers or fans. However, auction sales can fund preservation efforts. In 2021, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures used proceeds from a costume auction to restore endangered 1930s gowns. The balance between private and public ownership remains delicate, a negotiation institutions and auction houses must continue.

The cultural impact of auctioned costumes is significant. They prompt a re-evaluation of the relationship between fashion and narrative arts. As Field noted in a 2022 interview, “The clothes make the character, but the character gives life to the clothes.” These garments are dynamic, narrative-infused objects. They exist at the intersection of fashion and storytelling, where each informs the other.

As Sotheby’s prepares to auction more pieces from The Devil Wears Prada 2 this spring, including Priestly’s iconic black leather gloves, the market's appetite for film costumes remains strong. Whether these items end up in museums or private collections, their rise signifies a long-overdue recognition of costume design as an artistic discipline deserving of scholarly and financial investment.