Worn by beloved characters like James Bond and powerful figures like President Obama, suits have been an iconic part of fashion for centuries. In fact, historians have tracked suits back to the early 1800s.
In the present day, suits remain an important part of society. Seen in a wide variety of movies and worn by important world leaders, some suits are so iconic that people are willing to spend thousands to get their hands on them.
Let’s look at four one-of-a-kind suits that sold for thousands of dollars and four suits you can actually buy (if you can afford it).
Top 4 Rarest and Expensive Suits Ever
These one-of-a-kind suits are some of the rarest, most expensive ever sold.
- Rudolph Valentino’s Bespoke Wool Suit
- Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain Suit
- John Travolta’s Suit from Saturday Night Fever
- Prime Minister Modi’s Monogrammed Suit
Year Sold: 2016
Origin: London, The United Kingdom
Interesting Feature: Inscribed with the original owner’s name
photo source: bonhams.com
Rudolph Valentino was an iconic Italian-American actor from the 1920s. After moving to the US in 1913, he landed a few minor acting jobs before his breakout role as Julio in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in 1921.
Later, in 1923, Rudolph would marry Natacha Rambova and honeymoon in London. According to historians, Rudolph spent a fortune on luxury clothing during this trip — including the purchase of his bespoke wool suit which sold for $20,000 in 2016.
The suit, which was sold by Bonhams auction house, features a label detailing where it was designed: J. Dege & Sons Ltd., 13 Conduit Street, London. Experts now believe this company may have been one of Rudolph’s favorite clothiers.
Did you know?
Rudolph Valentino died at the young age of 31 due to a ruptured ulcer. This would eventually leave the care of Rudolph’s bespoke wool suit in the hands of a man named William Self, who first considered selling it in 1982 according to a letter sent to Christie’s auction house.
Year Sold: 2013
Origin: The United States
Interesting Feature: Label with Gene Kelly’s name
photo source: dailymail.co.uk
In 1952, MGM released Singin’ in the Rain starring Gene Kelly. Although the musical only saw modest success when it was released, critics now consider it one of the greatest films of all time.
The movie, which follows a production company as it transitions from silent film to movies with sound, features Gene Kelly singing the title song as he splashes through the rain in a belted, two-piece suit.
Although the suit was purchased by a collector in 1970 for just $10, it eventually sold for £65,000, or about 89 thousand US dollars.
Did you know?
This suit was designed by Walter Plunkett and still has water stains on its interior where Gene Kelly was repeatedly splashed during production.
Year Sold: 1995
Origin: Brooklyn, The United States
Interesting Feature: A note to the original buyer written by John Travolta
photo source: dezeen.com
Another suit from an iconic movie, this white three-piece was worn by John Travolta during his portrayal of Tony Manero in the hit film Saturday Night Fever. The suit is described as one of the most recognizable costumes in film history — and that status earned it a sale price of $145,500 when it was auctioned by Christie’s in 1995.
Interestingly, this suit had to be designed with some special features in order for John Travolta to dance throughout the film. Most notably, elastic fabric was used to connect the suit’s black polyester shirt to the waistband of the trousers so Travolta could move without the worry of a costume malfunction.
Like many suits worn by film stars, this disco-inspired design features an inscription on the interior lining that reads, “To Gene, So here’s to a classic, your friend, John Travolta.” The “Gene” referenced is Gene Siskel, an American film critic who loved Saturday Night Fever and purchased the suit in 1978 for approximately $2,000.
Did you know?
Gene Siskel loved Saturday Night Fever. A lot. In fact, he reportedly watched the film 17 times.
Year Sold: 2015
Origin: Unknown
Interesting Feature: PM Modi’s name monogrammed as pinstripes
photo source: business-standard.com
Prime Minister Modi’s monogrammed suit is the most expensive suit ever sold.
In January 2015, President Obama met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the visit, Modi wore a suit with his name monogrammed as pinstripes running down the fabric. The suit was reportedly gifted to the Prime Minister by a man named Ramesh Virani.
The suit proved to be controversial due to its monogrammed details, with some calling the outfit narcissistic and accusing Modi of being an “attention monger.”
Despite this controversy (or maybe because of it), the suit eventually sold at auction for Rs 4.31 crore, or about $585,000. The money went towards an effort to clean a river that runs through Bangladesh and India.
Did you know?
A diamond baron named Laljibhai Patel won the auction for Modi’s suit and now displays it in a glass box in his diamond factory.
Top 4 of the Most Expensive Suits You Can Actually Buy
Let’s look at the top four most expensive suits you can actually buy (if you can afford them).
- Gucci Luxury Suits
- Brioni Designer Suits
- William Fioravanti Bespoke Suits
- Kiton’s Custom Suits
Year Sold: Alessandro Michele
Origin: Italy
Interesting Feature: Brand heritage and design process
photo source: gucci.com
Gucci has a long history in the world of designer clothing. Joining the market with luxury equestrian accessories in the 1920s, the brand became world-renowned in the ‘50s when people like Jackie Kennedy became fans.
Today, Gucci sells a variety of expensive suits — buyers should be ready to spend over $3,000 when shopping this brand.
A big part of a Gucci suit’s cost is the design process. Led by creative director Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s painstaking attention to detail includes the use of embroidery techniques developed during the Renaissance in Japan.
Did you know?
Some of Gucci’s designs are so iconic they’ve become museum exhibitions. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a pair of Gucci Loafers are part of the permanent collection.
Year Sold: Norbert Stumpfl
Origin: Italy
Interesting Feature: Materials and design
photo source:shop.mitchellstores.com
Brioni was founded in 1945 by Nazareno Fonticoli and his business partner, Gaetano Savini. The duo would prove to be a groundbreaking addition to the world of clothing when the Brioni brand hosted the first-ever men’s fashion show in 1952.
Today, Brioni suits are often worn by movie stars, CEOs, and even some world leaders. Costing as much as 17 thousand dollars, these designer suits have become associated with money and power.
Led by Norbert Stumpfl, the brand has partnered with international megastars like Brad Pitt to produce ad campaigns — maintaining its status as one of the most influential brands in men’s fashion.
Did you know?
At the time of its founding, Brioni was considered groundbreaking for its approach to a suit’s silhouette, which is described as “effortless.”
Year Sold: William Fioravanti
Origin: New York City, The United States
Interesting Feature: Custom-made designs
photo source: mrpinglife.com
In the world of luxury clothing, “bespoke” essentially means custom. And when it comes to custom suits, designer William Fioravanti was often considered a master of the craft.
Since custom suits can vary widely, it can be hard to get an exact number for the cost of a bespoke Fioravanti suit, but estimates show price tags of $22,000.
William Fioravanti passed away in 2017, but at the height of his career, his brand produced 500 suits per year. Typically, these custom designs took 50 hours to complete.
Did you know?
Custom suits are expensive for a lot of reasons, but a big contributor to these high prices is each customer’s unique needs. As one custom suit buyer said, “I did once have a suit made with a particularly short pocket to hold a fountain pen.”
Year Sold: Ciro Paone, others
Origin: Italy
Interesting Feature: Rare, custom designs
photo source: grailed.com
Of suits you can actually buy, Kiton’s custom suits are the most expensive suits ever made.
The Kiton brand was founded by Ciro Paone in 1956. Since then, Kiton has been seen as a leader in timeless, luxury menswear — using materials like baby cashmere and wool to create designer suits that take at least 25 hours to complete.
Incredibly, suits from the brand’s K50 line are made by a single tailor from start to finish. Sitting at the top tier of Kiton’s clothing, these suits cost an incredible $100,000.
Making just 250 of these custom suits each year, Kiton trusts only five of the company’s top designers to handle the pressure of making such an expensive set of clothing.
Did you know?
Despite the international success of the Kiton brand, it remains a family-run business.
