Madonna's Bra Sets a Sales Record

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/03/2001 at 01:50 AM EDT

A record price has been paid for a Madonna costume at auction, with the diva's beaded Dolce and Gabbana bra worn during 1993's "The Girlie Tour" fetching $23,850 -- much higher than the item's pre-sale estimate of $7,000 to $9,000. The two-week online auction of Madonna items, held by Sothebys.com and Manhattan's Gotta Have It Collectibles Inc., ended on Wednesday and took in a total of $205,332. "Bids came from across the United States and around the world," Gotta Have It's co-owner, Bob Schagrin, told the Associated Press. The global interest, along with the record prices achieved, have further cemented Madonna's place in pop culture history." Other hot stuff included the black sequined bustier with gold tassels worn by Madonna on the "Who's That Girl" tour ($20,550 -- more than twice its low pre-sale estimate of $10,000) and her handwritten lyrics from "Like A Prayer" ($20,000). Costumes designed by John Galliano and Jean-Paul Gaultier fetched $13,800 and $11,212 respectively, both exceeding their high estimates. The previous record-holder was the cone-shaped bra designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier for 1990's Blond Ambition tour, which netted $21,150 at a Christie's auction in April. Gotta Have It has been buying up Madonna memorabilia for 10 years from collectors or from charities selling Madonna items that had been donated to them, Schagrin said. The auction happened to coincide with Madonna's current U.S. tour.