Pop diva Whitney Houston is to sell off many of her stage costumes and personal possessions in a massive clear-out sale. The legendary singer, who recently filed for divorce from husband Bobby Brown, has agreed to let hundreds of items go under the hammer in order to pay off debts to the storage company that has been looking after them.
A leather whip and the bustier she wore in the 1992 flick The Bodyguard are among the lots that will be offered to the highest bidder, along with 29 Dolce & Gabbana bustiers and 13 sequinned wristbands. Many of the costumes from her 1999 My Love Is Your Love world tour, including a number of monogrammed catsuits and several couture fur coats, will also be up for grabs.
While most of the buyers are expected to be memorabilia collectors, auction house AJ Wilner says there is also a selection of expensive touring equipment, including hand-crafted musical instruments, a hydraulic stage pump and dry ice machines.
The storage company has meanwhile revealed that Whitney has run up a £78,000 debt since she stopped paying its bills in 2005. The firm says the 43-year-old's legal advisers have been "very cooperative", however, and experts believe the auction will raise well in excess of the amount owed.
The mum-of-one has fought a well-documented battle with substance abuse in recent years, but now appears to have put her troubles behind her. She was looking radiant and healthy when photographed at a showbiz party thrown for legendary producer Quincy Jones last October.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
