Fans All Shook Up Over the King's $250,000 Suit
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Secretary George Twamley is
seen here displaying the suit for the press. |
Dublin has seen priceless artefacts before, of course. there was the
Kremlin gold, the Chinese terracotta army, Caravaggio's
paintings-and now Elvis Presley's suit. And if you thought the
security was tight for the other exhibitions, you don't know
The Elvis Presley Fan Club.
Graceland's communications manager Patsy Anderson personally carried
the studded suit in a case to Dublin for the fan club's charity fund
raiser. At auction it would fetch anything up to $250,000 "if I go
to the ladies room it goes with me, it sits right beside me on the
aeroplane and whenever there is a change-over at an airport, I have
got my foot on it" she says grimly.
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Patsy Anderson address's the press at the
pre-event launch, on the right is the late Chairman of
the club David Stinson. |
"It is kept in a private storeroom at Graceland under special
climate and lighting controls so that it doesn't fade. Nobody
touches it without wearing gloves."
The sleeveless cream jacket, with real leather collar , and black
flowered trousers , were hand sewn and designed for Elvis in 1974 by
his tailors, ICC Clothing in Hollywood.
Making it's glittery debut amid tight security at the Elvis Charity
Spectacular on Sunday at Jury's Hotel, the rock 'n' roller's suit is
the first item of clothing allowed out of his hallowed Graceland
home and into another country.
Patsy said of her decision to break Elvis protocol for the event: "I
thought Elvis would have wanted me to do that, he was very generous
and giving in his nature". If he could be told that this could raise
money, he would want to make these children's lives better in this
way.
George Twamley, secretary of The "Official" Irish Elvis Presley Fan
Club, said the exhibition of the suit would be a once-in-a-lifetime
chance for many Elvis fans to glimpse one of the garments worn by
The King. "That suit is the suit, there is not one like it anywhere
in the world, it is the same thing as going to the Tower of London
and someone taking the crown jewels out of their case, they are
unobtainable".
The proceeds from the fund raiser by the 800 member Irish fan club,
will be given to the Friedreich's Ataxia Society of Ireland.
Copyright � 2005 Irish Elvis
Presley Fan Club. All rights reserved.
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