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Lot #685
Prince-Designed Dress for Madhouse '16' Album Cover

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Estimate: $1000+
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Description

Prince-designed outfit ensemble worn by Maneca Lightner on the cover of the Madhouse album 16 and in the music video for 'Ten,' featuring a yellow dress with tiny black polka dots and two bright red gloves. Made at Paisley Park, the dress has a halter-top style neck, form-fitting chest, and double ruffle at the bottom. The long red gloves have three red pearlescent buttons at each wrist. In fine condition. Accompanied by a letter of provenance signed by Maneca Lightner, "Maneca aka Sam," in part: "I've now had this dress for almost 30 yrs and I know I will never wear it again…Prince came up with the idea of a Jazz Album and asked me to do the cover…I had no idea that we would end up doing 3 albums…This particular dress I wore for Madhouse 16. Prince had a stylist go out and shop for several dresses but none worked. The wardrobe person/designer on set put together a couple of options and he didn't like any of those either. So Prince explained the exact look he wanted which was the 40s/50s pin-up style. Of course, it had to have polka dots because when we met, I was wearing a 40s style black & white polka dot dress and he loved that look. The designer sketched up this description, he approved and this amazing dress was created!…Back in the 80s, Prince was famous for giving the women he worked with 'nick names.' He told me I looked like my name should be Samantha and from that day on—he and everyone in his camp called me Sam! I've signed lots of autographs over the years as Maneca aka Sam." Lightner posed for the covers of all three of Madhouse's studio albums, wearing different polka-dot dresses on each one.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts
  • Dates: #604 - Ended March 10, 2021