Prom and wedding gowns typically cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, but some gowns are worth millions. If you want to own a dress that costs more than the average US home, you’ll be glad to know that you have several options. But what is the world’s most expensive dress?
The Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur is the world’s most expensive gown. Faisal Abdullah, a Malaysian designer, created it in 2009 and it is worth $30 million. The over 750 diamonds sewn into this red gown account for its exorbitant price. It’s the only one like it.
This list will reveal the most expensive luxury dresses ever made. The next time you go dress shopping, you can use these incredible options to help you choose a truly extravagant option!
#10. Vera Wang Peacock Wedding Gown ( $1.5 Million )
Vera Wang is well-known for designing some of the most stunning designer gowns, including wedding gowns. However, this multi-colored Peacock Wedding Gown by Vera Wang may be the most expensive and extravagant piece.
This $1.5 million gown from 2009 was designed for only the wealthiest brides. It has over 2,000 peacock feathers layered on top of each other to form a fan-like train that wraps around the wearer in a semi-circle.
#9. Chartreuse Dior Dress ( $2 Million )
Nicole Kidman’s dress stole the show at the 69th Academy Awards ceremony in 1997. The form-fitting dress, designed by British fashion designer John Galliano, featured an unusual golden-green chartreuse color that drew a lot of attention from photographers and fashion experts.
The Chartreuse Dior Dress, which was originally valued at $2 million (the amount Kidman was paid to appear in it), is now likely worth much more due to its celebrity endorsement. But we may never know how much wealthy bidders are willing to pay for this dress unless it makes its way into a luxury Sotheby’s or Christie’s auction.
#8. Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscars Dress ( $4 Million )
Jennifer Lawrence’s flowing white gown from the 2013 Oscars ceremony became an absolute masterpiece for two reasons. First and foremost, it was a stunning strapless gown with a shapely body and voluminous skirt.
Second, the bottommost section was so long that Lawrence tripped as she climbed the stage stairs to accept her award. Because of the blunder, the dress received nearly as much attention as the actress!
This Raf Simmons couture gown is worth $4 million, making it the most expensive dress ever worn to the Oscars.
#7. The Seven Year Itch Subway Dress ( $4.6 Million )
The famous subway scene from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch is woven into the fabric of American pop culture. It’s been parodied and referenced countless times, but did you know that Marilyn Monroe’s dress in that scene is one of the most expensive dresses on the planet?
The halter top and flowy skirt may not be as extravagant as today’s jewel-covered designer gowns. Even more than a half-century later, this dress remains one of the most recognizable pieces of clothing on the planet.
Debbie Reynolds bought this dress for $200 in 1962, but when it went up for auction in 2011, it brought $4.6 million!
#6. Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. President’ Dress ( $4.8 Million )
Marilyn Monroe’s slim and sparkling dress from her performance for President John F. Kennedy is the most expensive dress ever sold at auction, fetching an impressive $4.8 million in 2016.
Though it isn’t covered in diamonds, it does have over 2,500 rhinestones that are strategically placed to draw attention to the wearer’s hips, thighs, and abdomen. This contentious gown caused a stir in 1962, but it now draws millions of visitors to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Hollywood, California.
#5. Yumi Katsura White Gold Diamond Dress ( $8.5 Million )
Yumi Katsura is a Japanese fashion designer known for creating extremely expensive dresses, particularly wedding gowns. However, the White Gold Diamond Dress she designed is the most expensive, costing $8.5 million.
While this silk-and-satin gown isn’t unique (Katsura created two nearly identical gowns), it’s an instantly recognizable piece that will make any bride feel like a queen. After all, this gown is made up of 1,000 white pearls, each as bright as a colorless diamond.
Speaking of diamonds, this gown has several of them, including a 5-carat white gold diamond. The most expensive necklaces in the world would look right at home around the neck of anyone wearing this luxurious gown!
#4. Queen Letizia’s Royal Wedding Dress ( $10.7 Million )
Wedding gowns designed for royal brides are among the most valuable dresses ever made. The wedding gown worn by Queen Letizia of Spain is an excellent example. According to Guinness World Records, it is the most expensive royal wedding gown ever made!
This silk gown (created in 2004) with a value of $10.7 million was made to help make Queen Letizia’s wedding day absolutely unforgettable. The dress’s body was mostly unadorned, but the bottom featured intricate floral designs made of gold thread.
It’s a shame the Queen of Spain only got to wear this masterpiece once. Still, given the length of the train (more than 14 feet), it’s probably best that this wedding gown was retired soon after the ceremony.
#3. Martin Katz and Renee Strauss Wedding Dress ( $12 Million )
Jeweler Martin Katz and designer Renee Strauss collaborated on this wedding gown. It is one of the most expensive wedding gowns ever made, with a price tag of $12 million. However, it is also one of the most beautiful.
This gown is studded with hundreds of multi-size diamonds, including a necklace-like diamond collar that radiates in a pattern of sparkling gemstones. It’s made of delicate silk and has a royal appearance, with Edwardian touches that would have been appropriate for any turn-of-the-century princess.
#2. Hany El Behairy Wedding Dress ( $15 Million )
It’s easy to see why couture clothing is some of the most favored fashion on the planet. Couture gowns and suits are made specifically for the clients who commission them, making them one-of-a-kind and nearly impossible to replicate.
That is the case with the $15 million Hany El Behairy Wedding Dress, which was released in 2019. Hany El Behairy, an Egyptian fashion designer known for creating the most expensive wedding gowns, designed this gown.
The star-patterned veil and intricately detailed body of this gown are almost entirely covered in gemstones, making it a stunning gown that must be seen to be believed.
#1. The Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur ( $30 Million )
The Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur by Faisal Abdullah is the most expensive dress in the world. This gown was introduced in 2009 and is worth an impressive $30 million.
This dress, made of crimson silk and taffeta, sparkles as it moves thanks to the 750+ diamonds sewn into it. These diamonds are scattered across the gown, resembling a constellation.
The rich red color of this gown complements many of the world’s most expensive lipsticks. So, if you’re ever lucky enough to find this dress for sale, make the most of the opportunity by investing in high-quality cosmetics to complement its romantic red color.