Prince's closet items to be auctioned off

The bidding on Prince's closet, guitars and other items has already evolved significantly since his death in 2016. More than 200 items are now available for bids.

Bertrand Brillois, a Paris-based businessman

began contacting dressmakers, costume designers, fabric dyers, production assistants and others who worked for Prince, twenty years ago. He told them that he believes Prince is not only a musical genius, but also a fashion icon, and wants to buy clothes, jewelry and other accessories designed or worn by him.

Among the many items Mr. Brillois has acquired over the years was a cashmere coat custom-made by Prince from a tailor in Nice, France, when he starred in the 1986 film''' 'Lovesexy,' 'Batman' and 'Diamonds and Pearls'.

There are also concept sketches and a folder with fabric swatches and shades of purple that give insight into how Prince and his team created his unique style and look.

"You can see the creative process by which Prince and these designers created all of these outfits," said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of RR Auction.

G Mr. Livingston cited a yellow lace suit with an open back

In which Prince famously attended the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. "This suit has material from that outfit," Mr. Livingston said. (The fully butt-exposing costume later turned out to have hubcaps covering Prince's butt. The costume itself is not part of the sale.)

Already on''s preview party Tuesday at the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan, demonstrations and a related catalog provided a glimpse into the intimate lives of the auctioned items. Prince's hat size is 7⅛. The heels of his custom boots - four pairs offered for auction - were reinforced with hidden metal braces so they wouldn't break during his exhilarating stage performances.

Tina Nige, editor of Shoeholics magazine

was accompanied by renowned stylist Phillip Bloch. "Prince was one of the first fashion icons," she said. "We'll have to look at his shoes, look closely at his jewelry. "

Mr. Bloch looked at Prince's gold cuffs, which had the word "Sexy" emblazoned on them, and said he hoped Santa Claus would bring them for Christmas.

Santa may need a deep pocket. Prince's auction market developed immediately after his death in April 2016.

Months after his death, auctioneer Hollywood Profiles in History sold a frilly shirt and jacket worn by Prince in the movie "Purple Rain" for $96,000 apiece, far exceeding the starting price of $6,000 to $8,000. In 2017, Julien'\''s Auctions sold one of Prince's custom "Cloud" guitars for $700,000, well above the $60,000 - $80,000 estimate.

In 2020, RR Auction sold a Yamaha DX7 synthesizer that Prince played for nearly $74,000 - triple the expected price. In June, the auction house sold the demo tape that got Prince his first recording contract for more than $67,000.

Song rights'. 'Prince's items, which appeared to have been sanitized before his death, are not related to the RR Auction or the current sale. Mr. Livingston said Prince was known for his generosity and donated items to employees and friends, adding that he held garage sales at his studio and Paisley Park headquarters in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Mr. Brillois, a French collector, traveled from Paris to attend a party at the Chelsea Hotel to say goodbye to a collection he had amassed over many years. He never had any contact with Prince himself and said Prince's former employees thought he was crazy for wanting to buy things they had stored in closets or were about to throw away. But being a Prince fan, he saw the value in preserving history, not as a speculator, but as''conservator.

"I thought it should be preserved," Mr. Brillois said, adding that he consulted experts from the Louvre and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs on how to create a climate-controlled environment to store vintage clothing, jewelry and documents.

Mr. Brillois said he had previously hoped to open the Prince's Fashion Museum. But after Paisley Park was turned into a museum by Prince's estate, he felt Prince's legacy was in good hands and decided to part with his collection, which, while impressive, is much smaller than what's on display in Minnesota.

While greeting guests at the party, telling stories about certain items, Mr. Brillois was in high spirits.''''My job is done,'' he said.