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Lupita Nyong'o's $150,000 Oscars dress stolen: Police investigate disappearance of 6,000 pearl gown from actress's hotel room

The actress had it made in an apparent homage to Prince and 'the sea'

Jenn Selby
Friday 27 February 2015 12:05 GMT
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Lupita Nyong'o’s $150,000 custom-made Calvin Klein dress she wore to the Academy Awards on Sunday has been stolen in Hollywood.

Studded with 6,000 natural white Akoya pearls hand-sewn by 25 people over 10 weeks, it was lifted from the London Hotel in West Hollywood while the actress was out of the room.

The hotel has since issued a statement saying management were “working with law enforcement” to locate the missing item.

Actress Lupita Nyong'o at the Oscars
Actress Lupita Nyong'o at the Oscars

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant William Nash confirmed that officers were examining CCTV footage for evidence.

“Ms Nyong'o was not in the room at the time of the theft,” Deputy John Mitchell told Reuters.

No arrests have been made.

Speaking about her fashion choice during a typically banal grilling on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, the 12 Years A Slave star, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress last year, she said she was “just wearing my diamonds and pearls. My homage to (musician) Prince”.

“We talked about it being fluid and liquid. I wanted it to be an homage to the sea.”

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