The auction house’s Paris exhibition and sale offers a look inside one of the 20th century’s most chic artistic circles
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
Photography Courtesy of SOTHEBY’s
Coinciding with Paris haute couture presentations, Sotheby’s is curating a sale foregrounding the universe of Doris Brynner, a style setter born in Zagreb, Croatia, and raised in Chile. Brynner worked alongside fashion designers and actors in Paris, Hollywood, and Switzerland, and developed a singular vision of her own. Through pieces consigned by her daughter Victoria Brynner, From Doris With Love: The Personal World of Doris Brynner took shape. The exhibition is on view in Paris and the online sale concludes on January 28. More than 60 years of Brynner’s creative vision — including jewelry, art, couture designs, and decorative objects — are here, amassed during her early collaborations with Pierre Cardin in Paris, her marriage to actor Yul Brynner, her friendships with Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, and her two decades reinventing the maison and gifts department at Christian Dior.
More than 60 years of Brynner’s creative vision — including jewelry, art, couture designs, and decorative objects — are here.
Among the bold jewelry pieces on offer are a group of creations signed by Jean Schlumberger; a Bulgari emerald, sapphire, and diamond brooch that belonged to Hepburn; and a diamond brooch that had been a gift from Taylor. Fashion ensembles from the ateliers of Christian Dior join an ivory evening gown created by Cristóbal Balenciaga that appears in an image of Brynner shot by Austrian photographer Inge Morath. There’s a Karl Lagerfeld drawing, a John Galliano sketch, photographs by Andy Warhol, a selection of objects and tableware that caught Brynner’s discerning eye, and so many more pieces she prized. 83 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris, 212-606-7000; enquiries@sothebys.com; sothebys.com.
January 25, 2025.
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