Fashion Designers-Even in Times of Death-The Fickle Market

Ebay sales jumped over 75% one day after the death of Yves Saint Laurent. The short term market frenzy was perhaps eager sellers trying to unload their fashion collectables on the unsophisticated buyer who anticipate that death equates to opportunity to resell at even higher returns. Perhaps a word of caution to “collectors” that assume death equates to financial opportunity.

At the recent Christie’s vintage couture auction in New York a 1958 Yves Saint Laurent French evening dress was estimated to sell for as high as $12,000. Christie’s conservative estimate was $1,000 to $1,500 and actually sold for$1,063.

An Yves Saint Laurent cut-out floral necklace from 1990 was estimated in some sophisticated circles to sell for as high as $5000-$6000. Although Christie’s conservative estimate of $1,000 to $1,500 was nearer the mark, the necklace sold for $1,125.

The market for fashion can be incredibly unpredictable. When Gianni Versace was murdered in 1997, his clothes were not in vogue at the time and didn’t incite a rush to buy.

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