Ever wanted to dress like Hugh Jackman? Now you can

Film and TV costuming business Hero Frock Hire is selling around 100 of its most iconic pieces at auction this week, including those worn by Australian screen legends such as Hugh Jackman, Toni Collette, Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts.

These clothes and accessories will certainly excite museum curators, film buffs or those simply wanting to see themselves as Jackman’s Boy from Oz character, with his gold trousers and sheer leopard skin print shirt priced by Shapiro Auctioneers at $900 to $1200.

Hugh Jackman’s leopard print shirt from The Boy From Oz will go under the hammer.Credit: Shapiro Auctioneers

Others may be keen to take away a piece of Collette’s award-winning performance in the legendary 1994 film Muriel’s Wedding. Her dress from the film is priced between $800 and $1,600.

Collette’s dress is a favourite of Suzy Carter who, with her life and business partner, Mark Lucas, owns Hero Frock Hire in Sydney, which has over 90,000 items of clothing and accessories.

“Mark and I started the business because many of these clothes were only used once, either worn by the performers or made as stand-by for those making an appearance,” says Carter, who points out the labels in each garment as being the actual ones worn in film, on television or on the stage.

Toni Collette’s dress from Muriel’s wedding will also be on offer. Credit:

The late Peter Allen’s ensembles from the 2006 stage production, The Boy from Oz (Arena Spectacular), starring Jackman and Angela Toohey who plays the role of Liza Minnelli, is represented in the form of a red beaded bodysuit, complete with a bowler hat.

With a price estimate of between $1,000 and $2,000, it’s one of the more expensive lots that will be put under the hammer at Shapiro Auctioneers on August 8. Many of the items come with price estimates of less than $500 and some of the replicas, such as the Victorian-style bonnet worn by actress Holly Hunter in Jane Campion’s 1993 film The Piano.

For Carter and Lucas, who established the Canal Road Film Centre in 1999, these clothes have come via production houses which have worked with the stars, sometimes for film and television, and at other times for commercials.

Some clothes, such as those worn by the late actor Heath Ledger, are tipped to attracted interest given his significant contribution to the film industry in his relatively short life.

The moss green overcoat worn by Ledger in the film Ned Kelly, priced at between $1,000 and $2,000, is complete with bullet holes and even blood stains.

These prices seem relatively modest compared to what some celebrity clothing now fetches around the world. Shapiro cites the example of an evening dress designed in 1986 by British designer Murray Arbeid for the late Princess Diana.

Sold in June this year at a dress auction in Beverly Hills, the estimate for the midnight blue diamante-covered tulle gown was between $US200,000 and $US400,000. The dress eventually sold for $US780,000.

“It’s hard to know who will buy the various items. Some will surely be film buffs, others will be museum curators who have a focus on films,” says Shapiro.

However, for those who do get to secure a piece of film history, it’s also the opportunity to relive some of the most important films and stage performances in Australia’s more recent history.

“I was 22 years old, and Nicole Kidman was only 16 when I first worked with her. And look where she is now,” adds Carter.

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