If you missed out on the Thriller jacket? Worry not as another iconic shirt – Prince’s puffy ‘Purple Rain’ Shirt goes up for auction.
Fans of Prince, who was known nearly as much for his extravagant wardrobe as for his chart-topping hits, will have the chance to bid on some of the late musician’s sartorial splendor in an online auction this week.
Prince’s iconic white ruffled shirt from the Purple Rain era is up for auction. This is not the custom puffy shirt he rocked in the Purple Rain film, but rather the one he wore during his performance at the 12th Annual American Music Awards in 1985. The auction ends tomorrow, and already the auction house estimates its value at $15,000.
The shirt is lavishly crafted from soft silk and features a gathered high-neck collar, three layers of ruffles down the front, gathered ‘puffy’ long sleeves, ruffled faux French cuffs, faux pearl buttons down the front placket and on the cuffs, and light shoulder pads. In very good to fine condition, with expected wear from use, including dimpling to the fabric on the wrists and some staining to the right sleeve.
The consignor notes that this was acquired directly from a designer who worked with Louis, Vaughn, and Marie-France on Prince’s outfits for the Purple Rain movie and its subsequent tour.
Related stories
The collection, including the Purple One’s white lace gloves, brooches, other clothing, ephemera, and more than 200 other pieces, was assembled by a French collector who initially hoped to open a museum celebrating the musician but later scrapped the plan, according to RR Auction of Boston, which is overseeing the sale.
The auction traces Prince’s evolution in music and fashion from his “Purple Rain” era through his death, according to Bobby Livingston of RR Auction.
The collector had reached out to individuals who worked closely with Prince to gather the items, believing that the trendsetting artist, who died in 2016, was not only a musical virtuoso but also a fashion icon, according to the auction house.
Other items up for bidding include a pair of high-heeled blue boots from the Act I Tour valued at $20,000; a custom-made gold stage outfit with love symbols estimated at $10,000; a blue Schecter “Cloud” guitar played by Prince, valued at $4,000; and a chain hat.
In addition to fashion, this auction includes original Polaroid photographs, master tapes of hit albums, and official documentation about his films and music videos.