‘It’s cooler to hang Lennon’s guitar than a Picasso’: pop culture wins out at auctions

Sales of items from celebrities such as Janet Jackson and K-poppers BTS are trending - and reframing what goes under the hammer

Is celebrity merchandise the new Monet? Auction houses are in flux, with more and more pop culture items being sold under the hammer for six and seven-figure sums.

Last month, Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills hosted a three-day auction of Janet Jackson's personal belongings, including some of her most iconic stage outfits. Buyers included Kim Kardashian, who snagged Jackson's outfit from the music video for her 1993 classic If for $25,000 (18,000) and, on Instagram, said she was such a fan" of the singer.