London – There were impressive results for Bonhams' exceptional single-owner auction of haute couture, The Craft of Luxury: Haute Couture and Handbags, which ran from 15-26 July on bonhams.com. The sale featured exquisite high-end pieces from key names, such as Valentino, Hermès, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dior, with estimates ranging from £100 - 35,000. One of the highlights was a Chanel haute couture rose gold and silver lesage beaded evening ensemble, from spring 2016, which sold for £10,837 against an estimate of £2,000 - 3,000. The top lot was a Hermès shiny bleu colvert porosus crocodile Birkin 35, 2015, which achieved an impressive £38,100.

The sale made a total of £357,635, with 70% sold by lot and 100% sold by value.

Meg Randell, Head of Bonhams' Designer Handbags and Fashion department, commented: "We are delighted with the results of this exceptional sale, which offered an incredible array of exclusive haute couture pieces from one of the most remarkable private collections of designer fashion that I have ever seen. This collection showed that fashion is an art form, and clearly these pieces captured the imagination of the bidders – who can now share in the luxury these items encapsulate."

Highlights of the sale included:

• Hermès: a Shiny Miel Crocodile Sellier Kelly 28. Pre-1976. Sold for £24,225.

• Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda: a Petit-Point Embroidered Evening Gown. Sold for £4,845.

• Chanel: a Runway Champagne CC Moucharabieh Minaudière. Paris-Dubai collection, 2015. Sold for £4,080.

• Christian Dior Haute Couture: a White Net 'Dice' Evening Dress. Spring 2018. Sold for £2,167.

• Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda: a Red and Gold Velvet Heraldry Sable Trimmed Coat. Sold for £3,570.

• Massaro for Chanel: A Pair of Red. Leather Pistol Heels. Miami Collection, Cruise 2009. Sold for £2,295, against an estimate of £600 - 800.

• Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda: a Floral Hand-Painted Black Ruched Silk Gown. Sold for £2,805.

• Valentino Couture: a Floral Embroidered Champagne Gold and Black Silk Column Dress and Jacket, Autumn 2006. Sold for £2,550.

26 July 2022