Spanx Founder Sara Blakely Buys Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Grease’ Leather Pants at Auction
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Olivia Newton-John’s iconic “Grease” leather pants have found a new owner.
Spanx founder Sara Blakely snapped up the costume, which Newton-John wore when she played the role of Sandy in the 1978 film, at an auction the actress participated in to support her Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre. Blakely paid $162,000 for the leather pants.
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“I have been the biggest fan of Olivia since I was a little girl, since ‘Grease’ came out,” Blakely said in an interview on “CBS This Morning” on Tuesday. “My friend called me two days before the auction. I didn’t know it was happening and she said, ‘Sara, they’re putting the pants up, the outfit for charity,’ and I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got to try to get these.’”
Olivia Newton-John recorded a special message for @SPANX founder Sara Blakely.
“I couldn’t think of anybody better to have them… So thank you so much. You’ve done so much for my hospital. I’m eternally grateful to you.” — @olivianj pic.twitter.com/2p25heYTLA
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) November 5, 2019
She also purchased Newton-John’s custom “Pink Ladies” jacket made by the film’s cast and crew.
Blakely’s admiration for Newton-John goes further than being a fan of “Grease.” She enlisted the actress to sing at her wedding in 2008 and she credits Newton-John as the inspiration behind Spanx’s faux leather leggings.
“I’m going to frame [the leather pants] and hang them at Spanx,” Blakely continued. “We have black faux leather leggings and they have become a cult following and they’re inspired off of Olivia’s pants. She is the OG of black leggings. I had to own them as the Spanx founder.”
Newton-John worked with Julien’s Auctions to sell 500 of her costumes, accessories and personal items to benefit her charity. She also auctioned off the original script for “Grease,” the Fifties-inspired pink lace gown she wore to the film’s premiere and her custom, thigh-high suede Western boots and Missoni knit harem pants from the 1980 fantasy film, “Xanadu,” among other items.
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