Strauss & co - Chris Levin

8 It is a great honour to be undertaking the sale of The Chris Levin Collection. This is something of a departure from the work that we usually sell, but represents an exciting addition to our auction repertoire, here at Strauss & Co. We are doing this in conjunction with the charity, Vintage, with Love. In 1975, when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton came to South Africa for their honeymoon, Chris Levin heard that Elizabeth Taylor had always wanted an ostrich feather coat. Making contactwith her he offered tomake one. His offer was accepted and hewas also commissioned to make a number of other items for Taylor’s personal wardrobe. At the historic sale by Christies, ‘ The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: The Icon and her Haute Couture ’ on 14 December 2011 at the Rockefeller Plaza, New York, the late Taylor’s couture collection was sold. It included pieces by Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy and Valentino. Amongst the creations of these giants of international couture was Lot 359, Chris Levin’s full-length white ostrich feather evening cape. It sold for an astonishing US$30 000. Uponhearingof the successof this sale in New York, Chris Levin took another look at his own collection. He removed it from storage and then decided to approach me about the possibility of Strauss & Co. holding a sale of his work. Fifty garments of elegant vintage couture spanning four decades from the 1960s to the 1990s were selected, along with a number of his original design sketches. In addition, this sale includes five couture accessories that have been donated by Vintage, with Love. These will benefit their charitable funds. We are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to sell such an important and wonderful collection by this South African-born design legend. Strauss & Co. is donating its commissions from the auction to the charity, Vintage, with Love, an inspiring initiative to raise much-needed funds for illiteracy in our country. The charity was the brainchild of Jacquie Myburgh Chemaly and Leigh Ord. Introduction