Elizabeth Taylor’s Chanel couture gold brocatelle cocktail suit, circa 1964, un-labelled, comprising: simple A-line strapless cocktail dress, lined in raspberry silk, edged and piped with silk moirgrosgrain; the matching short, boxy jacket with stand collar, patch pockets, characteristic lion mask buttons, moirlining and gilt chain-weighted hem, dress bust 94cm, 37in, waist 71cm, 28in; together with a letter of authenticity signed by the vendor (3)



Provenance: The suit was given as a gift to the wife of Elizabeth Taylor’s accountant Ernest E. Greenberg who was a similar height and size to Miss Taylor.. He worked for Miss Taylor and her husband Richard Burton in the mid 1960s.



Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s romance began on the set of ’Cleopatra’ which was filmed in 1961. At the time they were married to Eddie Fisher and Sybil Williams. It was not until 1964 that their respective divorces were complete and they were able to re-marry which they did in Montreal on March 15th, 1964. This suit was made when the Burton’s were still relative newly-weds. It seems that Elizabeth Taylor’s time on the lavish Cleopatra set gave her something of a penchant for wearing gold.