Elton John Fights AIDS In A Fabulous Way

04/12/06 5:30pm

by Eva Lampert (CHARTattack)

Elton John may have already come out of the closet, but now his clothes are, too.

The 59-year-old superstar has opened a temporary shop called Elton's Closet in the concourse of New York City's Rockefeller Center where he's selling 10,000 pieces from his wardrobe collection. His Canadian partner, David Furnish, also has some togs on display.

Proceeds from the sale will go to The Elton John AIDS Foundation, just like they did at similar events in London and Atlanta, where John and Furnish have a residence. Among the rare items up for grabs are a black Versace suit with the titles of some of John's hits, including "Tiny Dancer" and "Rocket Man," embroidered into them.

The polka-dot suit made by Richard James that John wore when he sang alongside Eminem at the 2001 Grammy Awards is also available. Other hot items include eight Versace Asian-printed silk robes, a Brioni mink-lined coat originally priced at $8,795 U.S., and everything else from cashmere blazers to track pants. Some of the clothes have been worn, while others have just been in storage. Some pieces from the sale are being featured in displays at Saks Fifth Avenue department store, a sponsor of the fundraiser.

"Surprisingly, there's something for everybody," said Saks men's fashion director Michael Macko in an Associated Press interview.

"Either everybody wants to have a piece of Elton's closet for the historical perspective — there probably isn't a more famous wardrobe in our lifetime — or because having a fluorescent jacket that used to be owned by Elton John makes a great story."

The sale lasts until Saturday, so you better get there soon if you want to take advantage of bargains like a Gucci shirt selling for $150 or Nike running shoes for only $30. But if you're holding out for stage pieces like a pair of John's signature glasses or platform boots, you can expect to shell out thousands of dollars.