Those other auction houses must be green with envy.
This morning, Christie’s announced the rare sale of Keira Knightley‘s emerald dress from the 2007 film “Atonement.”
The delicate gown — which features prominently in the film’s swoony love scene between Knightley and her cursed paramour James McEvoy — last hit the auction block in 2008, when it sold for $35,000 (with inflation, that’s about $55,000 today).
But when it’s up for sale on December 9, Christie’s estimates that the silk-embroidered frock will fetch between $130,000 and $160,000.
Designed by Jacqueline Durran, who went on to win Oscars for her costume design work in “Little Women” and “Barbie,” the dress was built with an open back, and a gathered waist with a swooshy drape at the center and a flowing skirt meant to evoke a “mermaid,” according to ‘Atonement’ author Ian McEwan.
“The dress remains so iconic in part because of the design,” Thais Hitchins, head of sale at Christie’s London, told The Post, noting “the bias cut and drop back add a modern sensibility to the classic design, resulting in its timeless quality. Equally, this dress is so beloved because it does what so few garments can… It captures those enduring qualities of desire and lust which retain an eternal appeal.”
In fact, the costume is so popular that it’s been officially referenced twice: First by Alexa Chung in a custom gown by Nensi Dojaka in 2024, and later by designer Tory Burch at Vogue World in 2025. Victoria Beckham and Chanel also riffed on the seductive slip in recent collections. (Burch currently has a vivid green slip dress on sale for about $600.)
New Yorkers who want to see the original ‘Atonement’ dress in person can head to Christie’s in Rockefeller Center, where the gown will be on display until November 17. It currently sits a few feet from a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, a series of Warhol screenprint paintings and a Monet valued at $12 to $18 million, and also free for any New Yorker to view right now.
But if the paintings — and the dress — miss your budget, it’s not quite a Hollywood tragedy. Just head down the street to Aritzia, where a cinematically slinky green silk dress can be yours for under $200. At nearby Free People, there’s another emerald option with a more vintage feel for $270. And online, Quince has an $80 stretch satin green dress with modern ‘Atonement’ vibes.
As for a Monet dupe — well, we can’t help you there.
