Freddie Mercury's video- and stage-worn outfit, 'Friends Will Be Friends', 1986, designed by Diana Moseley

Freddie Mercury's video- and stage-worn outfit, 'Friends Will Be Friends', 1986, designed by Diana Moseley

A bespoke loose-fitting one-piece boilersuit, cut and tailored by Jill Thraves, of white cotton drill trimmed in ivory satin, the breast, both sleeves, right thigh and left calf applied with deep patch pockets trimmed at the top with a stripe of satin, the breast pockets with an additional central satin stripe decoration, wide waistband with double belts to the front fastening with white metal buckles and grommets, and two further straps to the back with white metal slide buckles, both sleeves with satin trimmed buckled straps to cuff, collar with satin strap detail, shoulders with single white button, satin and drill epaulettes, fastening at the front with eight white buttons from collar to waist and zip fly, outside seam of both legs trimmed with satin stripe; and a pair of white cotton high top Adidas sneakers with cream canvas 3-stripe decoration, blue and white printed brand logo stitched to front of tongues above white laces, tongue interior ink-stamped in black ‘178305. 8’ and with additional manufacturer’s model label, ivory moulded rubber toes and heels; and brown moulded rubber soles embellished with Adidas logo, size 8

(qty 3)

Freddie Mercury wore this Diana Moseley designed boilersuit throughout the promo video for 'Friends Will Be Friends' shot on 15 May 1986, at Stonebridge Studios, Wembley in front of an audience of fan club members. This performance was apparently nicknamed "Queen's Greatest Show Never Performed" as at the end of the show Freddie cut his microphone and sang along with the crowd. Freddie is photographed wearing the boilersuit being interviewed by David Wigg backstage at Wembley in 1986 following the shoot. It’s also seen in the award winning BBC 'Imagine’ documentary 'Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender', 2012; and being worn off-stage in photographs of a garden party with Mary Austin holding her new-born son, 1986.

The Adidas three-stripe sneakers in this lot are similar to those Freddie’s seen wearing on stage in the 'Princes of the Universe' video, 1986.

LITERATURE

Bohemian Rhapsody – Freddie Mercury The Definitive Biography, Lesley-Ann Jones, Hodder & Stoughton, 2012, illus. opposite p.89.

Queen, The Complete Illustrated Lyrics, Backbeat Books, 2012, p. 90 (illus.)

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