BONHAMS TO SELL TWO ALEXANDER MCQUEEN GOWNS

TWO ONE OF A KIND EVENING GOWNS FROM ALEXANDER MCQUEEN'S AUTUMN/WINTER 2007 COLLECTION, WHICH WAS INSPIRED BY THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS OF 1692, ARE TO BE SOLD AT BONHAM'S, LONDON. THE STUNNING CREATIONS, FEATURE HAND-BEADING AND FEATHER WORK, ARE AMONG THE FIRST TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION SINCE THE TRAGIC DEATH OF THE FAMOUS BRITISH FASHION DESIGNER IN FEBRUARY, AND ARE EXPECTED TO FETCH MORE THAN £30,000. ONE OF THE DRESSES, A SHIMMERING, SERPENTINE, GOLD-SEQUINED SORCERESS GOWN, HAS ATTRACTED A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF £12,000-18,000. IT WAS MOST RECENTLY SEEN ON THE RED CARPET, WORN BY THE AUSTRALIAN POP STAR, HOLLY VALANCE, AT THE BRIT AWARDS, A FEW DAYS AFTER MCQUEEN'S DEATH. THE SECOND DRESS, WHICH FEATURES A GOLD SEQUINED AND PEACOCK FEATHER BODICE, WITH A SWIRLING CHAMPAGNE SILK LONG SKIRT, HAS AN ESTIMATE OF £10,000-14,000. THE TWO DRESSES ARE FROM ONE OF MCQUEEN'S MOST DRAMATIC AND SEXIEST SHOWS, WHICH WAS STAGED DURING THE PARIS PRET-A-PORTER SEASON IN FEBRUARY 2007. THE DESIGNER DEDICATED THE SHOW TO A DISTANT RELATIVE, ELIZABETH HOW, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SALEM WITCHES. THE MODELS EMERGED IN THE MANNER OF MEMBERS OF A COVEN, WALKING ON A PENTAGRAM PAINTED ON A BED OF COALS. ABOVE THEM LOOMED AN INVERTED PYRAMID ON WHICH WERE PROJECTED IMAGES OF FLAMES, NAKED WOMEN AND LOCUSTS. THE GOWNS WILL BE AUCTIONED AS PART OF BONHAMS VISION 21 SALE, ON 30.JUNE.