Audrey Hepburn's Gown Auction Money to Aid Socially Deprived Children

Christie's employee Romilly Collins models the dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film "Breakfast At Tiffany's" outside a cafe in west London July 26, 2006 file photo. The iconic black dress sold for about $800, 000, around seven times its pre-sale estimate.. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Toby Melville

French author and philanthropist Dominique Lapierre's City of Joy Foundation, which supports charitable work in West Bengal, will use Audrey Hepburn's gown auction money to aid education for socially deprived children.

About 800,000 dollars collected from the auction’s proceeds of an evening gown worn by the Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 Academy Award winning film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" will be used to construct 15 schools for destitute children.

The black Italian silk dress which Hepburn, who was also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, wore was auctioned at Christie's in London in December 2006 at seven times more its pre-sale estimate.

On February 28, Lapierrre inaugurated the newly constructed building of Bodhodaya Vidya Mandir, funded by the same auction money.

"It is marvellous that the sale of a dress which belonged to famous a actress could provide the money to build a school in India. We are very honoured, we are very pleased," said Lapierre, the author of best-selling books "City of Joy", which was set in Kolkata, and "Freedom at Midnight" about India's independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

The school building located at the Laxmikanta Pura village in 24 Parganas district, was destroyed in floods last year.

Lapierre said the money was enough to build at least 15 schools for socially deprived children.

Thousands of people, most of them children, gathered at the new education centre to pay homage to Hepburn.

"I will learn computers, music, sports and poetry in the school," said Azhar, a student.

As a UNICEF ambassador, Hepburn travelled to Africa, South America and Bangladesh for humanitarian work. She died in January 1993. (ANI)