Bid for the Look: Luxury Fashion Auctions in Paris

Where the runway meets the gavel.

In Paris, fashion doesn’t retire—it resurfaces in silk-lined boxes, struts back into the spotlight, and changes hands under the soft lighting of a storied auction room. Welcome to the elite, ever-glamorous world of luxury fashion auctions, where the spirit of Dior, the audacity of Margiela, and the legacy of Hermès are not just celebrated—they’re acquired.

These are not sales. They are rituals of style and reverence, where collectors, stylists, museums, and haute couture lovers chase wearable art, one paddle at a time.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a curious aesthete, The Socialites present the definitive guide to fashion’s most coveted bidding rooms in Paris.

Maurice Auction – The Cult Auctioneer of Couture

📍 Hôtel Drouot & other venues
Speciality: Luxury fashion, haute couture, and archival pieces

Maurice Auction is Paris’s reigning house of high-style resale, with legendary sales featuring Chanel, Alaïa, Comme des Garçons, Dior, and Saint Laurent. In collaboration with London’s Kerry Taylor Auctions, they’ve hosted some of the most talked-about fashion auctions in recent memory, including the record-breaking Martin Margiela archive (€1.89 million in January 2025).

🖋 Why go: It’s where the insiders go to buy the archive, not just admire it.
👗 What you’ll see: Iconic runway looks, haute couture prototypes, museum-worthy Margiela.

De Baecque et Associés – The Classic Connoisseur

📍 Paris & Lyon offices, Hôtel Drouot
Speciality: Haute couture, vintage fashion, leather goods

A house known for its scholarly eye and elegant selections. De Baecque’s fashion sales regularly feature Chanel jackets, Dior New Look silhouettes, and exquisite Hermès bags. It’s a go-to for those who want authenticity with historical weight.

🖋 Why go: You’ll find true vintage, impeccably preserved.
👜 Who shops here: Museum curators, discreet collectors, and editors with a sharp eye.

Tajan – Elegance Meets Eclecticism

📍 37 Rue des Mathurins, 8e
Speciality: Fashion, accessories, leather goods

Tajan’s fashion auctions are understated but quietly thrilling, offering curated collections of vintage YSL, Courrèges, Céline, and Gaultier, alongside luxe leather goods and scarves. Expect fashion with a whisper of nostalgia and an eye on wearability.

🖋 Why go: For the Chanel two-piece you’ll actually wear.
💡 Tip: Ideal for first-time bidders looking for accessible price points on classic items.

Bonhams (Cornette de Saint Cyr) – Heritage with an Edge

📍 6 Avenue Hoche, 8e
Speciality: High-end vintage and estate fashion

Having absorbed Cornette de Saint Cyr, Bonhams now leads prestige fashion auctions including iconic lots like the Didier Ludot Collection—featuring rare Balenciaga, Mugler, and Vionnet pieces. The house is known for dramatic provenance and impeccable curation.

🖋 Why go: To acquire pieces that belong in a fashion museum—but end up in your closet.
🎩 Highlights: One-of-a-kind vintage gowns, red carpet heritage pieces.

Pénélope’s Auction – Parisian, Personal, and Poetic

📍 Online & ephemeral Paris venues
Speciality: Thematic vintage fashion auctions

Founded by fashion historian and vintage oracle Pénélope Blanckaert, this auction house curates carefully themed sales with a collector’s eye. Recent highlights include vintage Prada, rare Miu Miu, and “Paris Vintage” series that feel more like editorial spreads than sales.

🖋 Why go: Boutique experience with insider taste
👠 For lovers of: Storytelling, 90s runway, and the fine art of subtle curation

Byronesque – Archival, Avant-Garde, Unapologetic

📍 By invitation only, pop-ups in Parisian apartments
Speciality: Archival fashion, 1980s–2000s

Byronesque doesn’t host auctions often—but when they do, they’re fashion events disguised as sales. Expect archival Helmut Lang, Margiela, Rei Kawakubo, and underground gems from the untouchable years of experimental fashion. The 2024 Margiela sale was a revelation.

🖋 Why go: It’s not just resale—it’s resurrection.
📦 Buy it if: It comes with original tags and subtext.

Artcurial – Bags, Silk, and Big Names

📍 Hôtel Marcel Dassault, 8e
Speciality: Luxury bags, silk scarves, and select vintage fashion

Artcurial’s Chanel Vintage Online auctions and Hermès sales in Monte Carlo and Paris are ideal for accessory collectors. With their impeccable authentication and international clientele, it’s a place where a Kelly bag can soar to stratospheric prices.

🖋 Why go: To invest in fashion’s most iconic accessories
🧣 Watch for: Limited-edition Hermès carrés and VIP-only releases

Others Worth Watching

Audap & Associés – Strong in vintage haute couture and unique ready-to-wear
Millon – Known for Fashion-to-Auction online events and excellent accessories
Sotheby’s Paris – Often focuses on handbags, watches, and private sales via “The Salon”
Auction Art Rémy Le Fur – Hosts well-curated “Mode” sales with a mix of contemporary and classic

Where It All Happens: Hôtel Drouot

📍 9 Rue Drouot, 9e

This historic auction hub is home to many of the above houses and an experience unto itself. From fashion to fine art, it’s where Paris comes to bid, browse, and breathe in elegance.

Tips from The Socialites:

Preview days are sacred—go see the pieces in person. Touch the silk, test the zippers.
Set your max bid and pretend you won’t exceed it. You will.
If it’s Margiela, it’s a bidding war. Plan accordingly.
Don’t just look for big names—look for well-cut, unlabeled gems from the 70s and 80s.
Always read condition notes and provenance details.