Regina King’s Schiaparelli Emmys Dress Is Up for Auction, and Proceeds Are Going to the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance

Circular fashion is the subject of the moment. Helped along by the twin forces of the pandemic and the global warming crisis, consumers are finally coming around to the idea that clothes shouldn’t be single-use, and big brands that have resisted the growing strength of the resale market are striking deals with the luxury consignment site The RealReal. It’s even happening on the red carpet; celebrities now make headlines for re-wearing gowns, a practice that was once absolutely taboo.

This is a circular fashion story with a charitable component. Schiaparelli, the French house behind the electric blue embroidered silk faille asymmetric bustier dress and Shocking Pink double-breasted wool suit that Regina King wore to last month’s Emmys, is auctioning the looks at Christie’s, with all proceeds going to the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance.

King was the undisputed winner of the virtual red carpet in her haute couture Schiaparelli number, but even more meaningful for the designer behind the dress, creative director Daniel Roseberry, was the fact that she picked up her Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role in Watchmen in a Schiap pantsuit and a T-shirt honoring Breonna Taylor. “I get goosebumps even just talking about it,” he said on a recent Zoom call. “It was such a rare moment where fashion could mean more than just a great red carpet gown.”

The Christie’s auction adds another layer of meaning: The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance is a program designed to empower adolescent girls around the world through education. Online bidding for the two-lot sale begins today and goes through October 30. The winners will receive an original sketch of their look signed by both Roseberry and King, as well as complimentary alteration service.