Oh, Mr Darcy! THAT iconic wet shirt worn by Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice sells at auction for £25,000
- Clothing made famous in the BBC 's 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel
- Shirt was one of more than 60 costumes from film and TV sold on Tuesday
Arguably the most iconic wet shirt's ever worn has sold at auction for £25,000 - double its estimated sale price.
The item of clothing was made famous after Colin Firth playing Mr Darcy strode out of a lake wearing it in the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice.
The famous scene turned Oscar-winner Firth into a sex symbol and also rocketed the shirt's sale price 30 years later, after auctioneers estimated it would be sold for between £7,000 and £10,000.
The shirt was one of more than 60 costumes from film and TV sold on Tuesday, with all the proceeds going to charity.
The sale contained costumes archived by Cosprop, a costume house founded by Oscar-winning designer John Bright in 1965.
Outfits worn by Madonna, Margot Robbie and Johnny Depp were also part of the auction hosted by Kerry Taylor Auctions in London and raised £285,300.
The item of clothing was made famous after Colin Firth playing Mr Darcy strode out of a lake wearing it in the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel
The infamous wet shirt as worn by Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice (left) sold for £25,000 at auction
The wet shirt scene has become one of the most famous TV moments of all time, despite not actually featuring in the original story.
Oscar-winner Firth played Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, opposite Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet - who is surprised when she visits his estate, Pemberley, to find him wet and not properly dressed.
The moment has been re-imagined in Netflix series Bridgerton, when British actor Jonathan Bailey steps out of a lake, and was also referenced in Bridget Jones's Diary, which stars Firth as another Mr Darcy, a nod to his portrayal by writer Helen Fielding.
The Mail has learnt it is one of seven such shirts made for Firth for the filming of his smouldering post-swim encounter with Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth Bennet in the hit series. It is thought that he wore each of them at some point during filming.
The famous 'wet shirt' was designed by renowned costume designer Dinah Collin and then made by Cosprop.
Cosprop's general manager Chris Garlick said multiple versions of the shirt were made as it was worn in wet and dry scenes, and in case of re-takes.
The whereabouts of three fully verified shirts are known, according to Kerry Taylor.
As well as the one in the upcoming auction, held live in London and online, one was auctioned for the BBC'S Children In Need in 1995 and made £500 and the other remains with Cosprop in their museum.
Almost 30 years after the scene first aired, the now dry shirt was today sold for a hammer price of £20,000, with the buyer's premium of £5,000 taking the overall total to £25,000, all of which will go to charity.
The now dry shirt has now been sold for a hammer price of £20,000, with the buyer's premium of £5,000 taking the overall total to £25,000
The wet shirt scene has become one of the most famous TV moments of all time, despite not actually featuring in the original story
Bright described the auction as 'a wonderful opportunity to own a piece of screen history,' with the outfits all having been worn by acting legends.
Costumes ranging in style from fantasy Renaissance to mid-20th Century silhouettes were a part of the collection which spanned more than 400 years of fashion history.
A vintage 1950s Christian Dior taffeta ball gown, worn by Madonna in 1996's Evita, sold for £40,000, while Johnny Depp's Sleepy Hollow costume fetched £24,000.
Costumes from TV drama series including Poldark, Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey also went under the hammer.
The costumes were donated in support of the Bright Foundation, a Hastings-based arts education charity established by Bright to provide creative experiences for children and young people facing disadvantage.
Bright said: 'My life's work has been committed to costume design for film, TV and theatre.
'It is my firmly held belief that the arts and creativity can shape happier and healthier children and enable young people to reach their full potential.'
The charity will also run an online auction until March 10, featuring film and TV-related experiences and celebrity memorabilia, including a signed script for Love Actually donated by Richard Curtis and Emma Freud.
Hollywood actor Depp has also donated an original piece of artwork.
He said: 'Unfortunately, too many young, emerging artists lack access to proper resources and opportunities needed to hone their craft.
'I hope my artwork will help in providing those tools in a way that most empowers them to succeed.'
