"Breakfast at Tiffany's" dress fetches $800,000

LONDON - The iconic black dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" sold for 410,000 pounds ($800,000) on Tuesday, around seven times its pre-sale estimate.

The sale room at London auctioneers Christie's broke into applause at the end of a long and tense bidding session.

The dress, designed by Givenchy and worn by Hepburn in the memorable opening scene of the classic romantic comedy, was being auctioned on behalf of the City of Joy Aid charity which helps underprivileged children in India.

It was the star lot of the annual film and entertainment sale at Christie's.

Hepburn, who plays Holly Golightly in the movie, is wearing the dress as she emerges from a cab onto a deserted, early-morning 5th Avenue in New York and peers through the window of jeweller Tiffany while she eats her breakfast from a brown paper bag.