The 40th anniversary of Whitney Houston‘s music career will be celebrated on Aug. 11 when Julien’s Auctions hosts the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation Auction featuring a treasure trove of the iconic singer’s stage clothes and personal effects, including a RIAA multi-platinum sales award for her legendary 1992 hit and Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “I Will Always Love You.”
The auction, which will kick off at 10 a.m. PST will honor Houston’s legacy and raise awareness and funds for the foundation’s many initiatives, including scholarships for young college students studying the arts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“On behalf of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation, we look forward to partnering with Julien’s Auctions,” said the singer’s sister-in-law and former manager/ executor of Houston’s estate, Pat Houston, in a statement. “For Whitney’s 40th Anniversary, we have some of her unique and one-of-a-kind items and garments that Whitney wore on stage and at various A-list events and at home. Gathering those items brought back so many memories. We look forward to previewing this year’s collection with her supporters globally.”
Among the items going under the gavel are: a 1991 “I’m Your Baby Tonight” stage-worn Marc Bouwer embellished catsuit, a 1994 personalized FIFA World Cup event-worn jersey, a 1994 event-worn Michael McCollom black fur coat, a 1994 The Bodyguard world tour stage-worn Bouwer embellished two-piece outfit, two pair of 1999 My Love Is Your Love world tour-worn Dolce & Gabbana pumps, a novelty slot machine, various pieces of jewelry and an RIAA multi-platinum sales award for The Bodyguard soundtrack, the best-selling soundtrack of all time.
“Julien’s Auctions is proud to partner with the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation for this very special auction,” said Julien’s VP head of music Giles Moon in a statement. “Whitney Houston fans and collectors from around the world will have a rare opportunity to own incredible memorabilia and artifacts from important moments of her stellar career, while making a difference, with 100% of the proceeds from the sale benefitting the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation.”
A special preview of the auction items will take place at the Foundation’s 4th annual Legacy of Love gala on Aug. 9 at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta, on what would have been Houston’s 62nd birthday; Houston died in Feb. 2012 at age 48. The collection is live now and the sale will commence on Aug. 11 from Los Angeles beginning at 1 p.m. ET and online here.
