CHICAGO, IL.- Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will conduct an auction on December 9 of the largest collection of Valentino to hit the block. The collection includes over 200 Valentino garments and was brought to the auction house by Adele Bergreen, a personal friend of and lawyer for the designer.

After graduating from Vassar College in 1944, Adele Gabel attended Yale Law School and became the first woman to graduate from the program. Following her time at Yale, Adele met and married Morris Bergreen. Together they started a family and opened the law firm Bergreen & Bergreen in the early 1950s.

By the 1960s the Bergreen¹s law practice expanded to represent Italian businesses, including Valentino. Mrs. Bergreen, fluent in Italian, accompanied her husband on working trips to Italy where she chronicled in her travel diary their frequent visits to Valentino¹s salon in Rome.

During this time the Bergreens became close friends with Valentino, and Adele¹s affinity for the Italian people, culture and style is clearly reflected in her fashion sense. Mrs. Bergeen would often collaborate with Valentino on custom ensembles, sending sketches and comments back and forth through Rome¹s postal service. As both a client and friend of Valentino she wore his couture and ready-to-wear lines almost exclusively.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will offer Mrs. Bergreen¹s collection of the designer¹s looks at auction on December 9. Highlights include a black sheer evening gown estimated at $700/900, a cream silk floral gown with a presale estimate of $700/900 and numerous other gowns and dresses of both traditional and unique patterns and fabrics, all Valentino. A selection of Valentino jackets and coats will also be available in various cuts and colors. The collection is representative of an entire wardrobe.

In addition to the Bergreen collection, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will be conducting an auction of Luxury Accessories and Costume Jewelry on December 8. The sale is ³Luxe Holiday² and caters to both the gifting and collecting crowds this holiday season. The sale includes a large selection of designer handbags, designer costume jewelry and a collection of furs, all at a range of price points. The auction will be a timed-auction with open bidding on Bidsquare from December 2 through December 8. A portion of the sale will be conducted as a live auction, which begins at 5pm on December 8 at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers¹ Chicago saleroom.