The stunning silk evening dress worn by A-lister Dame Helen Mirren when she won a BAFTA is to be auctioned.
The now 78-year-old British actress wore the strapless floor-length dress and bolero jacket in 2007 when she won best actress for her performance in “The Queen.”
It was designed for her by renowned fashion designer Jacques Azagury, who also designed clothes for Princess Diana.
This was the first dress Azagury made for the Oscar winner and the start of a 15-year relationship between the couple that has seen him create many more red carpet looks since.
He has now put the silk taffeta outfit up for auction at Penzance-based Lay’s Auctioneers on December 7, where it is expected to fetch £4,000.
The stunning silk evening dress worn by A-lister Dame Helen Mirren when she won a BAFTA is to be auctioned
The now 78-year-old British actress wore the strapless floor-length dress and bolero jacket in 2007
The dress is made of champagne silk taffeta and the jacket is in a contrasting dark mink tone. Matching the bolero, the dress also has a ruffled sash and a bow.
The much-photographed outfit has been on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum since Dame Helen wore it.
Azagury opened his flagship store in Knightsbridge, London in 1987 with his sister and business partner, Solange.
From the 1980s onwards, his clothes were regularly featured in Vogue and appeared in the collections of Harrods, Browns, Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman.
Over the course of his career he has dressed some of the world’s most glamorous women, but he retired in September and is now auctioning off some of his celebrity clothes and some home furnishings from his boutique.
Mr Azagury said: “Your stylist contacted me to see if I would like to provide a dress for the BAFTAs. “You are sent lots of dresses to choose from, sometimes up to 200, so I was competing with many other designers.
“I chose this dress and brought it to her house. I only picked this one dress because I knew it would look amazing on her and the colors would look sensational on her.
“She just loved all the dresses she tried on, it fit her perfectly and it just needed a few little tweaks and tucks to make it perfect.”
Dame Helen, now 78, was pictured at L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth in Hollywood earlier this month
The Queen focused on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and whether the Queen would return to London from Balmoral to pay tribute (Dame Helen pictured in the 2006 film).
“It was a big moment for her (receiving her award) and it was a really big moment for us because it created this great relationship.” Working with her was always very easy.
“She looked so fabulous and glamorous and that was important because it showed that women of a certain age can look sensational.”
“I’m happy to get rid of it now because otherwise it would just be locked away in a cupboard and it’s great for people to see it and identify with it.”
The drama, written by “The Crown” creator Peter Morgan, focused on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and whether the queen would return to London to pay tribute amid growing public pressure from Balmoral.
After the Queen passed away in September 2022, the lady revealed that she wrote her a letter during filming when she realized she was facing a sensitive moment in her life.
She told Radio Times: “I realized we were exploring a deeply painful part of her life, so I wrote to her. “How do you write to your queen? Was it Madam or Her Highness or Her Majesty?
received her Best Actress award for her performance in “The Queen.”
“I said, ‘We’re making this movie. We are examining a very difficult time in your life. I hope it’s not too terrible for you.”
“I can’t remember how I put it. I just said that in my research I felt a growing respect for her, and I just wanted to say that. Of course she didn’t write back, but her secretary did.
“You know, “Yours sincerely, da di da di da,” on behalf of the Queen. “Afterwards I was very relieved that I had written this letter.”
Mimi Connell-Lay of Lay’s Auctioneers said: “Helen Mirren wore this dress for a really big moment in her career.”
“I think it’s one of the roles she’s most known and admired for.” All eyes were on her at the Baftas and she also won an Oscar for the role.
“We expect a lot of interest, not only because of the historical significance of who wore it, but also because it is a fabulous, glamorous dress.”