An Iconic Piece Of Movie Fashion History Is Heading To Auction
Image: Paramount Pictures
If you’re a Saturday Night Fever fan, or you just love collecting pop culture fashion, now’s your chance to get one of the iconic white suit’s John Travolta wore during the classic 1977 movie. The three-piece suit is heading to auction later this month as part of the “Hollywood: Classic & Contemporary” sale organized by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM).
The monochromatic ensemble is expected to fetch up to $200,000 when it goes under the hammer between April 22 and April 23. Considered to be one of the most iconic costumes in the history of movies it’s “one of only two known to exist used during production, including in the film's memorable dance sequences,” according to the auction listing. This specific Saturday Night Fever suit has never been exhibited, nor auctioned."
Image: Julian’s Auctions
In the movie Travolta plays Tony Manero, a young Italian-American from Brooklyn who tries to escape the realities of his life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco. The hit movie helped to popularize disco music around the world and Travolta received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance.
According to auction organizers, the polyester suit worn by Travolta in the movie's famous dance competition scene features exaggerated peak lapels with pick stitching and two oversized pockets. It comes with letters of authenticity from Paramount Studios and Travolta.
The listing describes the suit as "one of the most iconic costumes in the history of cinema" and adds that it comes with letters of authenticity from Paramount Studios and Travolta himself.
"Heroes from Sir Lancelot to Tom Mix wore white in the great contests to express purity and single-minded devotion to the task at hand," the film's costume designer, Patrizia von Brandenstein, said of the quintessentially '70s ensemble.
"So, for me, white was the only choice for the suit. I am grateful that our hero, John Travolta, and our producers also came to see it in this way."
The winning bidder will also take home signed photos, lobby cards, a press kit, album, and DVD from the film.
For more information on the upcoming "Hollywood: Classic & Contemporary" auction or to place a bid head to the Julien’s website. Other auction highlights include some Marilyn Monroe collectibles, Harrison Ford's machete from the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, an Iron Man Mark XLVI helmet worn by Robert Downey Jr. in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, a n original Mandalorian helmet worn by Pedro Pascal on The Mandalorian, and Michael J. Fox's hoverboard from 1989's Back to the Future 2.
Marena Bronson is an award-winning journalist, a life-long nerd, and the Editor-in-Chief of Fashion and Fandom. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.