Cilla’s iconic outfits set to raise a lorra lorra cash for kids’ charity

Hundreds of outfits worn by Cilla Black are set to go under the hammer to raise money for charity.

More than 260 lots containing around 1,000 iconic dresses, suits and accessories worn by the Liverpool entertainer on stage and for TV will be auctioned on November 28.

All the proceeds will be donated to Variety, the Children’s Charity which supports disabled and disadvantaged children across the UK.

Her son Robert Willis says it’s ‘a beautiful gesture’ to mark 10 years since the Mersey star’s passing.

He adds:

“Hopefully it will raise much needed funds for a great charity and give fans a chance to own something that played a role in mum’s career.”

The sale, hosted by Portsmouth auctioneers Nesbits, celebrates the life and legacy of the legendary singer, actress and TV presenter who dominated the world of entertainment for more than five decades.

From her chart topping 60s to her reign as queen of Saturday night telly with hits like Blind Date and Surprise, Surprise, Cilla became renowned for her glamorous and often glitzy style.

In the 1960s, as one of the defining faces of the Merseybeat era, Cilla embraced the mod look with sleek shift dresses in bold patterns; in the ‘70s as she moved into television, her style evolved to be more glamorous and theatrical with shimmering stage gowns and elegant chiffon creations.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as she became the nation’s favourite host, her wardrobe reflected her signature blend of glamour and sophistication from structured suits and blazers to sparkling cocktail dresses.

Robert, 55, reveals that since the outfits were taken down from the loft where they were meticulously stored on rails in Cilla’s home – it was sold two years after her death – they have been in storage.

He said:

“Mum kept the outfits very lovingly because they meant a lot to her, and it was a slightly daunting prospect of removing them, so we had them put into storage thinking we would deal with them in six months’ time – and that was eight years ago.”

As the years passed that’s where they remained, until problems with the storage depot’s roof meant Robert and brothers Ben and Jack, were asked to check the outfits hadn’t been damaged. Thankfully, Cilla’s wardrobe was fine, but that kickstarted the thought that it was finally time to do something with it.

Although Robert adds there was also the feeling that ‘it would be appropriate to do something, not necessarily to mark the 10^th anniversary of her passing, but as a beautiful gesture’ for it.

“Having visited the storage depot and seen mum’s outfits again, it inspired me to do something.

“We could have kept them for another 20 years but what were we going to do with them? They had great sentimental value and significance for mum, but we didn’t have the space for all this gear and what was the purpose of keeping it?

“We spent a whole day going through it all. My 18-year-old daughter Alana’s shoe collection exponentially expanded – I think she got about 40 pairs of shoes and some vintage stuff. I took some things that meant something to me, and Ben and Jack did the same.

“Then we decided that the right thing to do was to donate the collection to Variety, a charity which does so many good works and which mum happily supported during her lifetime.

“We hope it will mean her fans – or fashion collectors – will be able to have something of hers and that it will ultimately benefit disabled and disadvantaged children. I think mum would have supported that.”

With many more outfits auctioned or donated to local charity stores long ago, Robert says what remains is an eclectic mix of ‘specially significant’ outfits spanning Cilla’s incredible career.

“Personally I like a dress that mum wore for the Royal Variety Show the first time it was transmitted in colour, I think in 1969 – she may even have been pregnant with me when she was wearing it – and a leather jacket she wore for recording Step Inside Love.

“There’s some cool things like that, and the dress she wore on The Morecambe and Wise Show.

“Ultimately I think it will be the fans – including those who got to know Cilla for Surprise, Surprise and her famous Cillagrams when clips started appearing last year on social media – who will want them, which is why we wanted to make it accessible pricewise, with estimates quite low.

“Not just Cilla fans, but those who want a bit of TV, musical or cultural history, and that for me will be the best thing.

“We want the clothes to raise as much money as they can do for the charity, and to go to people who will look after them and appreciate them and cherish them just like mum did.”

The online viewing is open now* with Cilla Black’s Iconic Dress Auction being held on November 28 between 1-4pm.