Haute Couture Heists: The 20 Biggest Fashion Thefts Ever Committed
Times When It Wasn't Just The Fashion Police That Were Called In
You may have heard of the bling ring, but that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fashion heists worthy of the Pink Panther's white glove. The world of high fashion has long been a magnet for audacious thefts and meticulously planned jewel heists fit for Oceans 11. From drilling through vaults to snatching custom-made designer clothing and jewels under celebrities' noses while they're distracted by the red carpet, here are the biggest fashion heists ever perpetrated.
1. Harry Winston Heist
The Harry Winston Heist was a robbery that occurred at a Paris Harry Winston store where three gunmen disguised in women's clothing made off with over $80 million worth of jewelry in 2008. It was one of the largest and most audacious crimes ever to shake the fashion world.
Loco Steve from Bromley , UK on Wikimedia
2. The Carlton Cannes Jewel Heist
The Carlton Cannes Jewel Heist was an armed robbery at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France, where a lone thief stole approximately $130 million worth of jewels that were being exhibited during the Cannes Film Festival. It was the largest jewelry theft in history.
3. The Bling Ring
Arguably the most famous fashion heist in history, the Bling Ring refers to a series of thefts perpetrated by a group of teenagers in LA. They broke into the homes of prominent celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Orlando Bloom, and stole millions of dollars worth of designer clothes, handbags, and jewelry.
4. Chanel Boutique Robbery
Just last year, a group of thieves rammed their SUV into a Chanel store in Paris, looted it, and set it on fire. They stole around $12 million worth of luxury products.
5. Antwerp Diamond Heist
The Antwerp Diamond Heist, dubbed the "heist of the century," is truly the stuff of Pink Panther movies. In what was the largest diamond heist ever, thieves managed to bypass over 10 layers of security, including infrared heat detectors, a seismic sensor, and a combination lock with 100 million possibilities.
6. Graff Jewellers Robbery
The Graff Jewellers Robbery saw two armed men walk into the London store disguised with professional makeup and steal $65 million worth of jewelry in broad daylight. They were arrested and charged, but the jewelry was never recovered.
7. Saks Fifth Avenue Employee Theft
The Saks Fifth Avenue Employee Theft refers to an incident where employees used customers' credit card information to make fraudulent purchases. They stole over $400,000 worth of luxury goods and returned them for store credit or sold them.
8. Anna Sui Samples Theft
Fashion designer Anna Sui's 2006 spring collection was being loaded onto a truck for the Fashion Coterie show when the majority of it (millions of dollars worth) suddenly went missing. Sui and her team had to scramble to reproduce them in time for the show.
9. McQueen & Kane Studio Burglaries
In 2008, fashion designers Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane's London offices were both broken into. Laptops and samples were stolen, and the thieves were never captured.
Christopher Macsurak on Wikimedia
10. Balmain Collection Theft
In 2023, more than 50 pieces of the Balmain Spring/Summer 2024 collection were being loaded onto a truck for transport from the airport to the company's headquarters when the vehicle was hijacked by thieves. The Balmain team under creative director Olivier Rousteing had to re-do the collection in time for Paris Fashion Week, less than one month away.
Alireza heidarpour on Unsplash
11. Kim Kardashian Paris Robbery
In 2016, robbers broke into Kim Kardashian's residence in the French capital during Paris Fashion Week and robbed her at gunpoint. They stole over $10 million worth of jewelry, including her $4 million engagement ring.
12. Marilyn Monroe Jewelry Theft
In 2003, two thieves stole a couple of pieces of Marilyn Monroe's jewelry from an exhibit in London. The items were valued at around $64,000.
Studio publicity still on Wikimedia
13. Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Burglary
Taking advantage of a four-day Easter bank holiday, which saw many neighboring stores closed, a gang of elderly robbers broke into an underground safe deposit facility in Hatton Garden, London, drilling through the 20-inch-thick walls of a vault. They stole millions in high-end fashion jewelry and gold.
14. Zumba Theft
In 2014, a truck carrying Zumba-branded activewear like harem pants, leggings, and shoes was robbed. Thieves got away with the $1.5 million heist.
15. Chopard Heist
During the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, over $1 million worth of Chopard jewelry was nabbed from a hotel safe. Ironically, the theft happened on the same night that The Bling Ring film was premiering at the festival.
16. Patek Philippe Watch Robbery
Just last year, two members of a theft ring stole a $1 million Patek Philippe watch from a man at gunpoint while he was dining with his family in Los Angeles. The watch made it to Miami, where a man was trying to sell it before being apprehended by police who recovered the watch and made multiple arrests.
17. Breguet Store Robbery
Thefts in Düsseldorf, Germany, used a stolen car to smash into a Breguet boutique in 2022. The thieves made off with several luxury watches.
18. Victoria Beckham Dress Robbery
Victoria Beckham's dress collection was stolen at knifepoint from a truck in 2009. The thieves managed to escape with half a million dollars worth of dresses that were on their way to Neiman Marcus.
19. Marc Jacobs Samples Stolen
In 2011, just a few days before a press showing, a slew of Marc Jacobs samples for the Spring 2012 collection were stolen from a van parked outside the London store. The thieves got away with the $65,000 theft, but thankfully, in this case, there were duplicates, so no scrambling was necessary.
20. Lupita Nyong’o’s Oscars Dress Theft
One bizarre theft saw actress Lupita Nyong'o's pearl-adorned Calvin Klein dress that she wore to the Oscars stolen from her hotel room. When the thief realized the pearls were fake, they left the dress in a trash can at the London West Hollywood Hotel and tipped off the media about its location.
