When a Wardrobe Becomes the Headline
Most film auctions wait for a movie to become a classic before its costumes start commanding real money. Christie's isn't waiting this time. Right now, and running online through September 15, the house is auctioning costumes and exclusive pieces from The Devil Wears Prada 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 2006 fashion-world classic, before the film has even reached theaters.
What makes the sale unusual isn't just the timing. The auction was conceived and directly supported by Meryl Streep herself, whose portrayal of Miranda Priestly remains one of the most quoted, most referenced performances in modern fashion cinema. Rather than treating the wardrobe as disposable production material once filming wraps, the costumes are being positioned from day one as collectible cultural artifacts.
Why Costume Collecting Works Differently
Fashion and film memorabilia occupy a strange corner of the collectibles world. Unlike a rare coin or a vintage watch, a costume's value is inseparable from the story it belongs to. A jacket is just a jacket until it's the jacket, worn in the scene everyone remembers, by the actress everyone associates it with.
That distinction matters for anyone thinking about entering this category. Documented on-screen use, a clear chain of custody from production to auction house, and a direct connection to a recognizable creative voice, in this case Streep's own involvement in shaping the sale, all do more to establish long-term value than the garment's materials or craftsmanship alone. Provenance, not fabric, is the asset.
A Parallel Sale Worth Watching
Running alongside the Prada 2 costumes, Christie's New York is also holding "Handbags Online: The September Edit" through September 18, an online sale built around rare luxury bags rather than film history. The top lot is a matte white crocodile Hermès Himalaya Birkin 35, estimated between USD 90,000 and 120,000, a reminder that in the handbag market, rarity of material and exclusivity of production run just as high a premium as any celebrity connection.
Seen together, the two sales make the same point from opposite directions: whether the story behind an object is cinematic or purely material, buyers are paying for what can't be easily replaced or repeated.
The Formula Holds Again
Once again, the objects generating the most attention share the same three qualities: documented provenance, genuine scarcity, and a story that can be independently verified rather than assumed. A costume tied to a specific actress and a specific creative decision. A handbag made in a material and configuration too rare to reorder. Neither depends on hype to hold its value, and that's exactly why collectors are paying attention.
Explore Orpheus Alerts to see how rare and hard-to-find pieces like these are surfaced before they go under the hammer.