Click Here to read more about The Tom Fontaine Elton John Collection presented in this auction.
Please Note: A portion of the proceeds from sale of the Elton John lots, 229–281, will be donated to The Elton John Aids Foundation.
The offered Italian "ETRO" brand shirt was owned by Elton John and sold at his 1996 charity sale of his clothing Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, Georgia. Neiman's created a special section of the store named "Elton's Closet" to sell the garments, stage outfits, shoes and accesories that came directly from Elton John's personal wardrobe. The special offering began on June 4, 1996, and was sold out in short order with proceeds going to charity. While a good number of the sale's items being somewhat mundane, clothes anyone could wear, the shirt offered here is pure "Elton John," with its overstated paisley design and Italian style.
The accompanying May 22, 2013, letter from a fan that attended the "Preview Party" on June 3 to get first dibs at the clothing reads "This is a long sleeve ETRO brand button down paisley pattern multi-color shirt, size 41 (Italy), looks like a medium USA men's. Purchased at Elton John's Out of the Closet sale at the Neiman-Marcus in Atlanta, Georgia in June 1996. Shop tag still attached at neck...I drove down to Atlanta with 2 friends. It was June of 1996, and we attended the grand pre-opening event the night prior to when it opened to the public." (A copy of the invitation is included with this shirt.) The offered shirt is pictured on the letter. The tagging on the "Nieman Marcus" collar reads "ETRO Milano / MADE IN ITALY" and the size is "41," which is roughly a men's small to medium in U.S. sizes. The shirt presents in Near Mint condition with no discernible distresses.