The Most Expensive Fashion Pieces

Beyond the off-the-rack fashion familiar to most people, top fashion designers occasionally create one-off masterpieces for the right clients using only the finest materials. The rarity of these unique pieces instantly transforms the fashionable garments and accessories into priceless works of art. In fact, they’re so costly that only the rich, famous, or those who win jackpots on instant casinos could possibly afford them. In this article, we explore the most expensive fashion pieces ever sold or auctioned.

The Chopard 201 Carat Watch ($25 million)

Prepare to be blown away by the 874 high-grade colored diamonds that adorn the sparkling 201 Carat Watch by Chopard. The watch encompasses around 75 carats’ worth of diamonds, with an unusual heart-shaped pink diamond accounting for 15.37 carats on its own. With its kaleidoscope of hues, this one-of-a-kind accessory would be at home on the red carpet at any prestigious gala.
This fascinating timepiece features a spring-loaded mechanism that opens the heart-shaped stones like flower petals to reveal the fully functional pavé-set watch face. With this masterpiece, Chopard proudly displays its watch-making heritage, reputation, and craftsmanship.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Diamond Ring ($8.8 million)

1950s Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor made a name for herself as a world-renowned actress, fashion symbol, and humanitarian. With her famous blue-violet eyes and captivating presence, it’s no surprise that she had many suitors. One love-struck gent, famed Welsh actor Richard Burton, wanted to one-up her previous four fiancés – and gifted her a 33.19-carat Krupp diamond worth $305,000 at the time. This massive flawless diamond was officially classified as a chemically pure Type IIa diamond. Less than 2% of diamonds in the world are classified this way.

Marilyn Monroe’s Seven Year Itch Dress ($5.6 million)

The unforgettable image of Marilyn Monroe and her flying skirt is known around the world. This famed image was taken on Lexington Avenue in New York City while Monroe was on camera filming a scene for the movie The Seven Year Itch. She happened to walk above a windy subway grate, and the famous photograph was merely a happy accident. This bombshell photo propelled the white ivory cocktail dress designed by costume designer William Travilla into the annals of history. Upon Monroe’s death, it was locked away with a collection of her other costumes until it was auctioned off in 2011. The lucky bidder took the dress home for a cool $4.6 million.

Mouawad’s 1001 Nights Diamond Purse ($3.8 million)

If you’ve ever wondered what the world’s most expensive handbag is, the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse is priced at an incredible $3.8 million. In 2010, the purse set the bar as the costliest handbag in the Guinness World Records. This dazzling heart-shaped purse is attached to an 18-karat gold chain and is completely covered in 4,517 colorless, yellow, and pink diamonds. The bag is so blinged out that it weighs 381.92 carats.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller Jacket ($1.8 million)

The King of Pop revolutionized the music industry with his influential hits, music videos, and dance choreography. One of his greatest hits was “Thriller,” a funk song paired with a theatrical horror-inspired music video that is widely deemed the greatest music video of all time. It’s only natural that the garments worn in this video by Michael Jackson are so coveted – especially his single white glove and candy-apple-red jacket. The jacket was sold for $1.8 million in 2011 and currently resides in the Grammy Museum.

Princess Diana’s Jacques Azagury Dress ($1.1 million)

Princess Diana was the beloved people’s princess thanks to her natural charm, zest for life, valuable humanitarian efforts, and inimitable style. During her tour of Italy with Prince Charles, she was captured on film wearing a Jacques Azagury dress featuring a black velvet bodice with embroidered metallic stars and a cornflower blue organza skirt. She wore the fabulous outfit again to a performance by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Vancouver, Canada. The getup was classified as one of her most notable looks and eventually sold for $1.1 million – more than ten times its estimated original value.

Stuart Weitzman’s Retro Rose Pumps ($1 million)

The Stuart Weitzman brand is known for its designer shoes and hefty price tags. Because of their level of craftsmanship and material quality, the shoes often appear on the red carpet, worn by A-list celebrities. But would you pay $1 million for a pair of pumps? The Retro Rose Pumps are a pair of glamorous vintage shoes featuring a classic ‘40s t-strap and roses made of 1,800 Kwiat diamonds weighing 100 carats. 

The Breakfast at Tiffany’s Dress ($800,000)

Today, the little black dress is a wardrobe staple – but the most famous version was the one Audrey Hepburn wore in the celebrated 1961 rom-com Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Designed by Givenchy, this Italian satin sheath evening gown is known as one of the standout fashion pieces of the 20th century. The dress was paired with elbow-length black gloves and a pearl necklace, creating an unmistakably Parisian look that took the world by storm. The piece was auctioned and sold for $800,000, with the funds going to underprivileged children in India.