Freddie Mercury's 'I Was Born To Love You' video-worn outfit, 1985, designed by Diana Moseley

Freddie Mercury's 'I Was Born To Love You' video-worn outfit, 1985, designed by Diana Moseley

The three-piece outfit comprising:

A military-style cropped jacket of white stretch cotton, cut and tailored by Willie Burt, the open front decorated with tabs fixed with white metal studs, six on the right side, two on the left and three on the collar, the articulated metal panel that would have been on the left side is no longer present, the padded shoulders with exaggerated capped sleeves trimmed with white piping, lined with cream velvet and ivory satin, unlabelled

A matching pair of trousers made of panels of white faille and ivory elastane with seams of white piping, the legs tapering to a point at the front with an ankle vent at the back, three studded tabs across the front zip fastening, the top tab fastening to the waistband with concealed press-stud and metal articulated panel attached at the back, each panel stamped ‘Super Lamex / France’, the lower two tabs with concealed hook and eye fastening, the back of the waistband with a long studded tab and further studs around the waist, lined in white cotton, the legs further lined with ivory satin, the interior waistband lined in white cotton with protective cloth patches taped across the metal stud fixings

A pair of white cloth and elastic braces, the left side decorated with twelve dummy rifle bullets, both sides with articulated white metal panel trim, each panel stamped ‘Super Lamex / France’

(qty 3)

‘I Was Born To Love You’ was released as a single in April 1985 from Freddie’s first solo album Mr Bad Guy. This costume is worn in the opening enthralling dance sequence, choreographed by Arlene Phillips, where Freddie dances in front of a wall of mirrors. The costume reappears, along with several others, in ‘The Great Pretender’ video, 1987.

It would appear that this white jacket is the precursor to Freddie’s famous yellow and red-and-white jackets, also designed by Diana Moseley. In recent conversation with Sotheby’s, June 2023, Diana Moseley recalled that she and Freddie “…had a collaborative working relationship. I was trusted to go away and think about something and present a series of ideas. We got quite feisty, especially with the military look, the yellow jacket sets and the red and white ones – the ones that everybody knows. I was quite determined to go that way because I did an experiment on him with another jacket, a white one with metal [the one included in this lot] and he liked it very much, so I did a black leather jacket [as well]” (see lot 230). 

Diana also recalls that Freddie wanted a ‘warrior’ look for this outfit, which became known as ‘The White Knight’. The articulated panel, which was on the front of this jacket, since removed, and on the corresponding braces is made from the same material used on butchers’ aprons – the closest material she could find to resemble armour without the weight. Diana does not recall the white articulated panel being removed from the jacket (it is possible that it was taken off for cleaning purposes and then not re-attached). Willie Burt made costumes for The Royal Opera House and The Royal Ballet.

See lot 229 for a bodice and helmet worn by one of the marching women from ‘Freddie’s Army’.

LITERATURE

Freddie Mercury, The Great Pretender, A Life In Pictures, Welbeck, 2012, pp. 110 & 111

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