From wet shirts to war-worthy kilts, the costumes of Britain's best-loved dramas are worth a fortune
The star power of film and TV costumes should not be overlooked.
'Time is a lot of the things people say that God is.’ Thus begins Outlander, the first book in the best-selling fantasy series by American author Diana Gabaldon.
Time is to an extent the protagonist of her story — a historical novel with romance and time-travel elements — but also a reason for the book’s changing fortunes.
When she first wrote it in the 1980s, publishers hesitated because they didn’t know how to categorise it: was it a romance? Fantasy? Historical fiction? Fast-forward several decades and genre-straddling books have almost become a genre of their own, Outlander is an immense success and has spawned an equally popular television series, starring Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan as the protagonists, 20th-century nurse Clare Fraser and her husband, 18th-century laird Jamie.
With the final season airing now, Bonhams in London is offering a selection of costumes and props on August 5. Among the highlights are the costume worn by Heughan in the Battle of Culloden scenes (estimate £1,500–£2,000) and the red ball gown created for Balfe (£3,000–£5,000). A special exhibition of the lots runs until August 4.
Hepburn's Givenchy black Chantilly lace ensemble shattered its pre-sale expectations.
Bonhams previously oversaw the sale of replica royal costumes, coronation robes, furniture, props and set pieces from The Crown (2016-2024). The 2024 auction had a total estimate of around £525,000, but went on to make more than £1.67 million. The house described the sale as a major success, helped by huge international interest and more than 30,000 exhibition visitors before the auction.
In 2023, Kerry Taylor Auctions sold Colin Firth's famous wet shirt from Pride and Prejudice (1995) for £20,000, roughly double its estimate. As well as film and TV costumes, Kerry Taylor specialises in vintage and contemporary fashion, fine antique dress and European, Asian and Islamic textiles.
The house negotiated the private treaty sale of the wedding suit of James II to the V&A Museum and organised the sale of most important private collection of Audrey Hepburn's haute couture dresses and accessories to ever come to market. It included a black lace ensemble which was worn by the star in the film How to Steal a Million (1966). The Givenchy masterpiece sold for £55,000.
