The Items for Sotheby's Fashion Icons Sale are Truly Iconic

In late June, Sotheby's announced they are putting Princess Diana's iconic black sheep sweater up for auction headlining Sotheby's inaugural Fashion Icons Sale (a piece she donned in 1981 that became an overnight sensation once it was plastered front page of the Sunday newspaper). Now, the auction house unveils the other fashion items to be auctioned off, and they most certainly live up to the status of being included in the "icons" sale. 

On the note of Princess Diana, Sotheby's offers another iconic piece of hers: her 1985 Murray Arbeid Gown. Draped upon her body was the black and white gown she wore at Windsor Castle's royal residence for Prince Edward’s 21st birthday party, in which the event was themed "A Midsummer Night's Ball." Though another attendee is said to have worn the same dress as her, the memory of the gown remains tied to Princess Diana's eternal fashion legacy.

Items previously worn by Princess Diana aren't the only pieces worth taking note of. Michelle Obama's vintage 1960s Norman Norell black lace dress is also on the lineup — the very dress she wore in attendance at the 2010 TNT Christmas in Washington musical broadcast celebration. Boasting a cinched bodice and silk organza mid-length skirt, this served as the first vintage piece Obama wore to a public event as the First Lady, not to mention how legendary Norell is in the world of fashion.

Norell is often referred to as the father of American high fashion, forever changing the American courtier landscape as he was the first American designer to be seen as direct competition to the dominating French couturiers and well-known Parisian fashion houses of the time. Over his 50-year career, he dressed Hollywood royalty such as Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly.

Another vintage piece to be included in the sale? Madonna's vintage Brussels lace wedding veil. The Queen of Pop has become a fixture of pushing boundaries in mainstream pop culture, including her penchant for challenging political ideals with religious motifs. Case in point: Madonna was styled in this statement-making lace wedding veil for Vanity Fair's first-ever Icon Issue in reference to the Virgin Mary, though the imagery had clear underlining feminist and sexual themes merged with the overt religious reference. It was creative, innovative, and controversial — exactly what Madonna has stood (and continues to) stand for.

Further adding to the aptly titled "Icons" sale is Kate Winslet's 1997 Alexander McQueen-era Givenchy gown. On the heels of her recent catapult to fame following her role as Rose in the highly-acclaimed Titanic film, Winslet solidified her starlet status as she arrived at her first major red carpet event in the silk emerald green gown, hand-embellished with gold embroidery, and styled with a matching bolero. The look was divisive among critics but did its job in having her as one of the most talked about celebrities of the evening. 

Of course, there is no icons sale without an item from Sex and the City, a fitting choice considering its reboot series And Just Like That was just renewed for a third season. Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw has many iconic pieces, though the one that will be up for auction is her vintage taxidermized Bird of Paradise headpiece. (Technically, she wore this not in the show, but in Sex and the City: The Movie, though the impact of the headpiece remains the same regardless).