A “spectacular” 10 foot tall floral bodysuit worn by Lady Gaga in her latest music video could sell for as much as £20,000 next month in London.
The pop star, 34, wore the hand-painted and appliqued leather body-suit, called the Floral Alien, during the shoot for the song 911 which was filmed in the desert region of Valencia in California this August.
Created by Russian-Armenian artist Karina Akopyan in 2017 and modelled on fetishism and the decorative style of Russian folk art, it is estimated to sell for between £15,000 and £20,000 at Kerry Taylor Auctions.
Gaga has spoken of how the song 911 is about an antipsychotic medication called olanzapine which she had been prescribed in the past.
The video itself was directed by Indian filmmaker Tarsem Singh and took inspiration from the cinematic style of Armenian film director Sergei Parajanov and his 1969 Soviet art film The Color of Pomegranates.
Floral Alien goes on sale alongside another piece worn by Gaga in the music video, the Red Bleeding look, featuring a latex skirt and conical bra.
Lucy Bishop, specialist at Kerry Taylor Auctions, told the PA news agency: “They are very unusual. Look at them, they are just spectacular. Karina’s work, I have never seen anything like it. When you combine that with the fact that Lady Gaga has worn these pieces, it makes them incredibly special.
“The video for 911 was actually filmed during the coronavirus pandemic in the desert in California in August, so you can imagine considering that both these costumes are made from leather and latex how incredibly challenging that must have been.
“The director of the video has recalled that Lady Gaga actually almost fainted when she was wearing the Floral Alien ensemble because it is a complete bodysuit that restricts your movement and of course covers you face entirely. I think it was very challenging.”
She said the auction house expected interest from both Lady Gaga fans and private collectors of pop memorabilia.
Akopyan said: “There are many artists – both very well-known and not so famous – that I would actually be very happy to see in my costumes, if they share my energy and Lady Gaga was one of them.
“When the opportunity presented itself, I felt if not her, then who? She is a chameleon and a mega-talent who inspires so many people to be more comfortable in their skin – to be truly themselves.”
The pieces will go under the hammer on Tuesday December 8 at Kerry Taylor Auctions, London.