Preview the Daphne Guinness Collection

In March, we disclosed that monochrome-haired muse Daphne Guinness planned to auction off a select edit of her personal couture collection. This morning, the fashion press enjoyed a preview of the sartorial gems Ms Guinness is willing to part with.

‘It has been a great privilege to work with such an iconic collection,’ Christie’s Fashion Specialist Clare Borthwick told us on Thursday morning. ‘Seeing each piece come to life during the set-up of the exhibition this week has been especially exciting.’

The auction is for a good cause, too. Something of a fairy godmother of emerging talent, Guinness has promised the proceeds of the sale to the Isabella Blow Foundation—a charity she set up in memory of her dear friend to support emerging talent in fashion and art.

Highlights include a black Balenciaga silk cloqué trapeze coat (which Daphne has also worn alone as a dress) typical of the simplicity and elegance of Cristobal Balenciaga's designs from the 1960s onwards. A 6ft portrait of Daphne by Mario Testino is anticipated to be the top lot, with expectations to exceed £100,000. In terms of footwear, a pair of the Hon’s signature heel-less platform boots—uniquely crafted by Japanese master cordwainer Noritaka Tatehana—are particularly lust-worthy for those to who dare to attempt walking in them.

And of course, there’s all the McQueen.

Two pieces by the late Alexander McQueen are the top fashion lots, with estimates of £15,000 to £20,000. ‘Daphne first viewed the silver dress in McQueen's 2008 collection and after seeing it, asked Lee to create four dresses of the same style in different materials,’ Borthwick said.

Teetering around the auction room in a silver pair of heelless shoes, Guinness proudly characterised the collection. ‘Every piece has a story attached; some many people know, but I can’t go into some of them,’ she said with a smile.