Prince's personally-owned custom-made white ruffled shirt worn in the iconic 1984 film Purple Rain, lavishly crafted from soft silk and featuring a gathered high-neck collar, three layers of ruffles down the front, gathered 'puffy' long sleeves, ruffled faux French cuffs, faux pearl buttons down the front placket, and light shoulder pads. Sewn inside the neck is a purple-on-white "Prince" label. In fine condition, with expected wear from use, including dimpling to fabric on the left wrist and the cuff buttons removed.
Playing 'The Kid' in Purple Rain, Prince is seen wearing a white ruffled shirt at several key points in the movie—including his rendition of 'Beautiful Ones,' and then later in the finale when he sings 'Purple Rain,' 'I Would Die 4 U,' and 'Baby I'm a Star.'
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Juanita Escovedo, the mother of Prince protege Sheila E., stating that the shirt was made for Prince during the making of Purple Rain, and was given by Prince to Sheila E. It was later sold as part of a fundraising effort.
Purple Rain grossed over $72 million worldwide (against its $7.2 million budget), won the Oscar for Best Original Score, and served as the launching pad for Prince's superstardom. As an iconic, screen-worn shirt from the classic movie, this is a remarkable museum-quality piece.
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