Wearable Art: The Lynn Pickwell Collection | USA

Date: 19th May, 2026 10:00
Lots: 140
Kerry Taylor Auctions USA
@Mana Contemporary
888 Newark Avenue,
Jersey City, NJ 07306 US
Telephone: +1 (551) 220 6325
 
 
 
Viewing Times
Sunday May 17: 12pm-6pm
Monday May 18: 10am-5pm
 
 
 
Defined not by category but by instinct, the collection of Lynn Pickwell and Bruce Moore stands apart for its remarkable individuality and discerning eye. Her pieces are brave and bold. Assembled over decades, it reflects an uncompromising commitment to visual impact, artisanal craft and innovation. Pickwell describes herself as “a natural-born hunter-gatherer, like a truffle hunter”—a philosophy that has resulted in an eclectic group of exceptional breadth and character.

Spanning the period from 1912 to 2013, the collection offers a dynamic survey of twentieth- and early twenty-first-century fashion, with a broad American/British and Japanese slant. The collection evolved alongside Pickwell’s international career as a costume designer and stylist, with commissions for artists including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Her travels provided access to a global network of sources, from vintage boutiques to private collections, enabling the acquisition of rare and often singular pieces. Her segue into the art world with collector Bruce Moore formed a symbiotic relationship rooted in their passion for how ethnographic design shapes culture.
 
Despite its breadth and significance, the collection remained private and largely unseen until 2019, when Pickwell collaborated with the J.F. Chen Gallery in Los Angeles for the exhibition ‘Collision’. The precedent presentation of fashion alongside important avant-garde furniture and prototype design highlighted its significance as another applied art.

In the absence of future exhibition plans and with the collection held for years in archival storage, the decision was finally taken to sell. The Lynn Pickwell & Bruce Moore Collection presents a rare opportunity to acquire works of outstanding quality and provenance.

Lot 2 - An unusual cotton and polyester pocket pinafore skirt, probably 2000s

Sold for £338

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 7 - A fine Yohji Yamamoto shibori dyed black wool coat, Autumn-Winter 1993-94

Sold for £1,690

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 8 - An Issey Miyake pleated 'bow' bag, 1990s

Sold for £364

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 9 - An Issey Miyake blue satin ribbon dress, Spring-Summer 1991

Sold for £1,430

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 10 - A rare Kansai Yamamoto 'Sushi' coat 1980s

Sold for £3,900

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 11 - A Kansai Yamamoto black cotton jumpsuit, circa 1988

Sold for £312

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 12 - A pair of Kansai Yamamoto red wool trousers, late 1980s

Sold for £364

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 16 - A Kansai Yamamoto reversible wool coat, Autumn-Winter 1981-82

Sold for £5,200

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 20 - A Moschino 'Dart Board' suit, probably 1990s

Sold for £1,300

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 29 - A Jean Muir ink blue wool crêpe coat, 1980s

Sold for £195

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 42 - A pair of Maud Frizon roller skates, 1980s

Sold for £975

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 51 - A Keith Haring print ribbed cotton jersey vest, circa 1989

Sold for £1,300

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 64 - Three Andrew Logan resin mirror bracelets, circa 1981

Sold for £975

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 66 - A Norma Kamali leopard print ultra-suede 'cave-girl' dress, 1980s

Sold for £845

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 68 - A Norma Kamali ivory cotton parachute ensemble, Autumn-Winter 1977-78

Sold for £3,120

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 69 - A Norma Kamali green lamé evening gown, circa 1977

Sold for £4,680

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 70 - An Ossie Clark glittery white jersey dress, circa 1979

Sold for £234

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 71 - An Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell printed silk chiffon dress, early 1970s

Sold for £780

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 73 - An Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell printed moss crêpe maxi dress, 1970s

Sold for £624

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 74 - An Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell printed satin jacket, circa 1968

Sold for £364

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 75 - A Biba green faux-fur coat, circa 1972

Sold for £2,600

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 77 - A Mr Freedom green cotton drill suit, 1970s

Sold for £260

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 78 - Two pairs of Terry de Havilland platform heels, 1970s

Sold for £260

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 79 - A John Bates black wool djellaba, 1976

Sold for £5,200

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 80 - An Alice Pollock printed calico ensemble, early 1970s

Sold for £3,120

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 83 - A Thea Porter printed crushed velvet jillayeh, circa 1969

Sold for £1,560

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 86 - A Halston dappled yellow chiffon caftan, circa 1975

Sold for £2,340

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 88 - A Halston tie-dye velvet ensemble, 1970s

Sold for £3,900

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 90 - A Thierry Mugler brick red viscose jersey jumpsuit, circa 1978

Sold for £468

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)

Lot 93 - A Kaisik Wong blue jersey ensemble, 1970s

Sold for £572

Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)