DROUOT RICHELIEU AUCTION HOUSE TO SELL CHANEL TREASURES

HUNDREDS OF FASHINOISTAS, COLLECTORS AND WOULD-BE CONSUMERS WITH A DREAM JOSTLED FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF MORE THAN 800 GARMENTS, ACCESSORIES AND SHOES BY THE ICONIC LUXURY FASHION GIANT CHANEL THAT WILL HIT THE AUCTION BLOCK. THE LOTS ON DISPLAY INCLUDE TRADEMARK TWEED SKIRT SUITS, CLASSIC CHAIN HANDBAGS, 1980s-ERA ENSEMBLES IN BOLD COLOURFUL HUES BY THE LABEL'S CURRENT IN-HOUSE DESIGNER, KARL LAGERFELD, AND VINTAGE HAUTE COUTURE GOWNS BY MADEMOISELLE CHANEL HERSELF. THE ORGANIZER, AUCTIONEER PIERRE CORNETTE DE SAN CYR, SAID HE EXPECTS THE SALE TO FETCH BETWEEN $270,000 AND $550,000, THOUGH HE ADDED 'THERE COULD BE SURPRISES'. ESTIMATES FOR THE LOTS RANGE FROM $27 FOR A BUNCH OF BUTTONS EMBLAZONED WITH THE LABEL'S HALLMARK DOUBLE 'C' TO $14,000 FOR A 1923 DROP-WAIST DRESS IN IVORY SILK, THOUGH MOST OF THE ESTIMATES HOVER AROUND THE HUNDRED DOLLAR MARK. STAR LOTS, WHICH COULD END UP FETCHING SEVERAL TIME THEIR ESTIMATES, INCLUDE A 1935 HAUTE COUTURE SHEATH GOWN IN FINE BLACK LACE, ITS NECKLINE EMBELLISHED WITH A BLACK SILK BOW, AND A 1029 AFTERNOON DRESS IN VERDANT LEAF PRINT, WITH A SWING JACKET IN EMERALD GREEN. WHILE THE VINTAGE PIECES, DISPLAYED ON MANNEQUINS BEHIND VELVET ROPES, WERE OFF LIMITS TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO THEIR FRAGILE CONDITION, MOST OF THE LOTS COULD BE HANDLED, INSPECTED AND EVEN TRIED ON. A HOARD OF WOMEN OF ALL AGES, SOME OF THEM DRESSED IN HEAD TO TOE CHANEL IN A MARK OF BRAND LOYALTY, SWARMED THE RACKS, SHIMMYING INTO SLIGHTLY TOO-SMALL JACKETS, SWIMMING IN OVER-SIZED TRENCHES AND SOMETIMES, JUST SOMETIMES, FINDING THAT PERFECT FIT. IT TOOK ASSESSOR FRANCOISE STERNBACH A YEAR AND A HALF TO ASSEMBLE THE 820 LOTS, WHICH SHE ACQUIRED FROM MORE THAN 120 PRIVATE SELLERS. COME OF THE VINTAGE ITEMS WERE DUG OUT OF TRUNKS OR RESCUED FROM ATTICS WHERE THEY HAD LANGUISHED FOR DECADES, SHE SAID, ADDING SHE HOPED THOSE LOTS WOULD END UP GOING TO MUSEUMS. WITH BIDDERS EXPECTED FROM ACROSS EUROPE AND TELEPHONE BIDDER CALLING IN FROM AS FAR AFIELD AS ASIA AND AMERICA, THE REST OF THE GARMENTS WILL LIKELY GET A CHANCE TO COME BACK INTO FASHION IN THE WARDROBES OF WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
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