Michael Jackson’s red and black Thriller jacket will go under the hammer in Abu Dhabi on 7 December 2026, alongside his Motown 25 glove and two pairs of performance-worn loafers. Julien’s Auctions has scheduled the evening sale for 8pm UAE time at Rosewood Abu Dhabi, as part of its three-day Celebrity & Pop Culture Experience.
The obvious question is how much the jacket could fetch. Julien’s official announcement lists its estimate as available upon request, rather than publishing a figure. Its previous sale offers a reference point, not a prediction: Gulf News reports that Texas commodities trader Milton Verret bought it for USD 1.8 million at Julien’s in June 2011.
Which Thriller jacket is being sold?
Julien’s describes the lot as one of two jackets created for the 1983 music video. Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis conceived the exaggerated shoulders and V-shaped silhouette. The auction house identifies this example as the jacket Jackson wore in the sequences before he appears in zombie makeup; the distressed version remains with his estate.
The black and candy-red calf-leather jacket has silver cuff buckles, a red silk lining and a snap-front closure. Jackson signed both the sleeve and the lining, with the latter carrying a dedication to his costume designers, Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins.
In the auction house’s account of its provenance, Jackson asked the pair to make a pattern for future stage versions. He expected the process to destroy the original. When they managed to preserve it, he gave them the jacket and added the inscriptions. That history distinguishes this lot from a replica or a later touring costume.
The glove has a public estimate
Unlike the jacket, the other three headline lots have published estimates. Julien’s expects the rhinestone-studded glove associated with Jackson’s Motown 25 performance to fetch USD 600,000-800,000. The auction house records its previous sale to Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma for USD 430,000 in November 2009.
The two pairs of loafers have substantially lower estimates. The Thriller video shoes are listed at USD 30,000-50,000 and come with a signed letter to choreographer Michael Peters. The Motown 25 loafers carry an estimate of USD 60,000-80,000. These are pre-sale estimates, not winning bids or confirmed final prices.
The sale brings music memorabilia into a city with an active live-music calendar, including the BREDx Abu Dhabi regional line-up. It also offers a different route into pop history from screen releases such as the George Michael: The Faith Tour concert film: here, the objects themselves are on display.
UAE fans can see the pieces before the sale
Julien’s schedule lists a public display in the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental lobby from 29 November to 5 December. The collection then moves to Rosewood Abu Dhabi for the auctions, which run from 7-9 December. The Michael Jackson evening sale is on the first night, with a separate day sale scheduled for 10am on 8 December.
That distinction is useful for visitors: the three-day event dates aren’t the date of the jacket’s individual sale. The announcement supplies the public exhibition dates but doesn’t specify daily viewing hours or entry arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
Has Julien’s announced a price estimate for the Thriller jacket?
Not publicly in its announcement. Collectors can request the estimate from the auction house; the USD 1.8 million paid in 2011 is a historical sale price, not the current estimate.
Can fans view the collection without bidding?
Julien’s lists the Emirates Palace display as public. Check viewing hours and access arrangements before visiting, because the announcement doesn’t provide those details.
