Lot 102: Daphne Guinness by Mario Testino

The designer names listed in Christie’s catalogue reads like a fashion month line-up: Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Balenciaga, Valentino and Givenchy, to name but a few.

Tomorrow’s auction will benefit the Isabella Blow foundation, a charity that supports aspiring fashion and art students, and carries out medical research into depression and mental health of which Blow was a sufferer. The eccentric fashion editor Isabella Blow, a long-time friend of Guinness, is credited with discovering talent such as Alexander McQueen, among other accolades. Sadly, Blow committed suicide in 2007, aged 48.  

Although the auction, which is the result of a collaboration between heiress Daphne Guinness and Isabella Blow’s sister Julia Delves Broughton, will of course have sad undertones, it is Guinness’ beautiful archival pieces that will take center stage. One of which is Lot 41 – the “one-of-a-kind sculptural metallic” Alexander McQueen silver mini dress pictured below.

Lot 41: Alexander McQueen metallic silver mini dress

Aside from the showcase dresses, there are also photographs of Daphne Guinness taken by fashion photographers Mario Testino and Bryan Adams up for grabs.  

So, if you do happen to have had a windfall in the region of Prince William’s £10 million, it might be worth making a bid at the Daphne Guinness collection, which takes place tomorrow at Christie’s South Kensington London from 7pm.

– Richard Peckett