In this file photo taken on November 1, 2021, the dress worn by Amy Winehouse in her last performance on the 2011 Summer Festival Tour for a Belgrade concert is on display at Julien’s auction in Beverly Hills, Calif. . AFP PHOTO
LOS ANGELES: The dress singer Amy Winehouse wore for her last performance on Sunday sold for $ 243,200, 16 times its estimated value, as part of a treasure trove of memorabilia from the late diva’s life auctioned in California.
Winehouse wore the green and black bamboo print dress to a concert in Belgrade in 2011.
A month later, on July 23, she died of acute alcohol poisoning. She was 27 years old.
His death was the culmination of a long – and often very public – struggle against alcohol and drugs.
The dress was the culmination of a collection of 800 items of personal effects, ranging from bras and DVDs to books and makeup that were sold by Winehouse’s parents, Mitch and Janis.
The entire collection grossed $ 4 million, double the initial forecast, according to auction house Julien’s, which handled the sale which ran from Saturday to Sunday.
“Of course there are fans, museums and collectors all over the world who will want to own some of these items, take care of them, show them in museums, keep their legacy and memory alive and at the same time raise funds. for the foundation, ”Julien’s Martin Nolan said ahead of the auction.
Proceeds will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which supports vulnerable young adults struggling with drug addiction.
“All of these dresses represent Amy – a fantastic musician, songwriter, but also a fashion icon,” Nolan said.
Multiple Grammy Award-winning Winehouse, whose seminal and touching 2006 album “Back to Black” is considered a modern classic, has spoken often of his personal experiences in the fight against alcoholism and drug addiction.
Another highlight of the sale was Moschino’s custom-made heart-shaped handbag that Winehouse used at the 2007 Brit Awards, which sold for $ 204,800.
Most of the other dresses she wore to performances sold for between $ 12,500 and $ 150,000.
The more than 400 page catalog put together by Julien’s was an overview of the singer’s influences and career, but also of her distinctive retro style which made her a fashion icon.
