Couture, pearls and a Breakfast at Tiffany's script

Inside the private collection of Audrey Hepburn

Footsteps and the purposeful thrum of air conditioners are the loudest sounds in Christie's Park Royal warehouse on the day of a recent visit. Beyond two leopard-print chaises longues and a phalanx of vacant plinths and pedestals is Adrian Hume-Sayer, director of private collections at the auctioneer's, busying himself with Audrey Hepburn's trove.

Most of it remains packed away, arrayed on tidy shelves or on scores of velvet hangers. One rolling cart heaves with straw bags, carefully coiled belts and individually bagged pieces of jewellery. Nothing has been photographed. "We've had tremendous trouble getting mannequins for the clothes because she was absolutely tiny - I mean, sub-zero," he says.