André Leon's collectors' items come up for auction

On 27 January, British auction house Christie's will launch an online auction of dresses, jewelry and more that belonged to André Leon Talley, the longtime editor and art director of Vogue who died last January. A live auction will follow on 15 February. Proceeds from both sales will benefit Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York, the site of Talley's funeral last January, and Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, his hometown.

Talley's fame as an editor and creative at Vogue enabled him to amass a considerable archive of collectibles - he worked side by side with Anna Wintour and Diana Vreeland and was friends with Karl Lagerfeld, Diana Von Furstenberg and Miuccia Prada - including the Hermès bicycle, the diamond-studded Jacob & Co. watch and the Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage that will be auctioned. Also unmissable, of course, are the caftans, capes, and long, draped dresses by Chanel, Gucci, and Tom Ford. There is also an illustration of Talley by Gianni Versace, two of the famous editor's oversized Hermès Hac Birkins, and his iconic brick red "sleeping bag coat" by Norma Kamali - Talley had worn it in his UGG campaign and in the documentary The Gospel According to André.

«From monogrammed Louis Vuitton suitcases to custom Tom Ford caftans, each lot is imbued with meaning and connected to her extraordinary personality and legacy that continues to inspire us all», said Elizabeth Seigel, head of private and iconic at Christie's. According to a recent report, the auction is expected to fetch $1 million. Given the fascination that celebrity estates hold for the public, however, we would not be surprised if the profit exceeded that figure.