Luxury Handbags & Couture
Department
Freeman's Luxury Handbags and Couture department specializes in Luxury handbags and accessories, haute couture, and fine ready-to-wear examples.
Luxury Handbags and Couture auctions offer a compelling range of contemporary and vintage luxury handbags and accessories, haute couture, and museum-quality artifacts. With unparalleled knowledge of the luxury goods market and the history of fashion the department uniquely combines decades of luxury, museum, curatorial, and academic expertise with a keen eye for market trends and tastes.
Through the presentation of a carefully curated selection of property from North America and Europe, the department offers three annual couture and handbag auctions of important and rare items from museums, private collectors, and estates. International buyers regularly seek a variety of couture categories, including high fashion, historic dress and textiles, luxury handbags and accessories, and luxury fur. Freeman’s has cultivated a reputation as a leading firm within these categories, bringing to auction important brands and historical material that continuously achieve strong results. The Luxury Handbags and Couture department specializes in Luxury handbags and accessories, haute couture, and fine ready-to-wear examples.
The firm has offered significant collections in recent years, including Property from Ebony Fashion Fair, The Geoffrey Beene Archive, A Life in Couture: The Collection of Michelle Smith, and Christian Dior Haute Couture worn by Dame Olivia de Havilland, as well as major collections from prominent estates throughout the country.
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Department Categories
High Fashion
The most celebrated names in luxury fashion are top performers in Freeman's ‘High Fashion’ category, which include men’s and women’s individual clothing items and ensembles made from the 1960s to today. Designs in this category are often progressive, well-known and celebrated examples by the top names in fashion, such as Christian Dior, Issey Miyake, Chanel, Ralph Rucci, Junya Watanabe, Yves Saint Laurent, Halston, Comme des Garcons, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta.
Department highlights
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Rare, Birkin 35 in Two-Tone Shiny Porosus Crocodile with Palladium-Plated Hardware.
Sold for $21,590
Team
Tanner Branson
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Luxury Handbags & Couture
The Summer Edit Sales featuring Hermès handbags
Hermès Birkin Bags: A Collector’s Guide
A Guide to One of the World’s Most Coveted Luxury Icons Collecting Hermès Birkin Bags at Auction Explore rarity, craftsmanship, and investment value behind one of the most iconic handbags in the world.
Freeman’s Presents the Couture Collection of Maureen Dwyer Smith
Freeman’s is honored to present The Couture Collection of Maureen Dwyer Smith, a compelling offering of garments and accessories from the wardrobe of one of Chicago’s most esteemed civic leaders and philanthropists.
Her Story: The Couture Collection of Chicago Civic Leader Maureen Dywer Smith
Maureen Dywer Smith, a respected Chicago civic leader and philanthropist, cultivated a wardrobe that reflected both sophistication and an eye for exceptional design. Her couture collection brings together garments by Ralph Rucci, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, and Emilio Pucci, paired with handbags from Chanel, Judith Leiber, and Hermès—pieces that speak to timeless style and impeccable taste. Select pieces from Mrs. Smith’s refined wardrobe—curated with both elegance and practicality in mind—will be featured across three luxury auctions at Freeman’s | Hindman: Fall Fashion, Holiday Lux, and The Holiday Edit. More than a style icon, Maureen Dywer Smith was a dedicated patron of the arts, founder of the Joffrey Ballet Women’s Board, and a beloved figure in Chicago’s cultural and philanthropic circles. TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 12, CHICAGO | Hermès, Kelly 32 in Noir Box Leather | $4,000-6,000 Mrs. Smith was born in New York City on February 7, 1945, and grew up in New Rochelle, New York. She graduated from the Ursuline School before earning a B.A. in Painting and Studio Art from Newton College of the Sacred Heart in 1966. After college, she pursued graduate studies at The New School for Social Research in New York, focusing on the linguistic philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Mrs. Smith began her professional career in advertising at Benton & Bowles in New York. In 1968, she joined American Heritage Publishing Company, later Horizon Books as an associate editor. There, she researched and contributed to the writing and editing of seventeen art and history books, covering topics as diverse as Colonial America, Russia, and China. TO BE OFFERED SEPTEMBER 12, CHICAGO | Emilio Pucci, Fuchsia Embellished Kaftan | $400-600 In 1974, Maureen married Edward B. (“E.B.”) Smith, Jr., and moved to Chicago. While in Chicago, Mrs. Smith began a new career as a retail consultant, primarily with Marshall Field & Co., while dedicating herself to civic leadership. She served as Chair of the Board of the Joffrey Ballet, where she also founded its Women’s Board. Her leadership was widely credited with helping to establish a sound financial and managerial foundation for the Joffrey Ballet. TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 18, CHICAGO | Emilio Pucci, Pink Heavily Beaded Kaftan | $400-600 Mrs. Smith’s dedication to the arts and education extended to numerous other institutions. She was a Trustee of the Field Museum, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and After School Matters. She also co-authored 100 Masterpieces, the Art Institute of Chicago’s centennial publication. In addition, she served on the Women’s Boards of the Field Museum, the Art Institute, Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern University, the Alliance Française, the Goodman Theatre, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. Her commitment to civic engagement earned her shared awards from the Harvard Club of Chicago and DePaul University. TO BE OFFERED NOVEMBER 18, CHICAGO | Emilio Pucci, Orange Embellished Kaftan | $400-600 Mr. and Mrs. Smith built significant collections of contemporary glass paperweights and American paintings, as well as secular and religious stained-glass windows spanning eight centuries. Much of their collection is now housed in Chicago museums. INQUIRIES: tannerbranson@hindmanauctions.com
Freeman’s | Hindman Refreshes Summer Style with $1M+ Sale of Jewelry, Watches, and Designer Accessories Across Two-Day Auction
Freeman’s Summer Edit auction presented a refined cross-category showcase of more than 350 expertly curated lots over two days, celebrating iconic design and timeless luxury.
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