Other : Nell McAndrew's Outfit Auctioned Off
At the end of April 2002, Eidos Interactive placed the Lara Croft outfit of model Nell McAndrew up for auction on eBay.  The money that was raised was given to the charity UNICEF.

Promotion of the Auction on the Eidos Interactive UK Website - April 5th 2002
Lara Croft raids wardrobe for UNICEF!
The original Lara Croft outfit will be auctioned for charity on eBay.co.uk
The original Lara Croft outfit, one of the rarest and most desirable items in video game history, is up for sale on eBay.co.uk.

Donated by Eidos Interactive, the world exclusive sale runs from 26th April and will last for 10 days. All proceeds from the auction will go to UNICEF, United Nations Children’s Fund.

The costume, which comes with a certificate of authenticity, features Lara’s trademark green rubber all-in-one vest and military-style shorts. The outfit also includes Lara’s twin Smith and Wesson automatic replica pistols and leather holsters.

Since 1996, Lara Croft and her famous costume have journeyed to the Great Wall of China, the deserts of Nevada, and the tombs of Egypt and soon the costume will be on its way to one very lucky bidder.

The outfit was worn by Nell McAndrew who modelled as Lara Croft from 1998 to 1999. Lara Croft will never be seen in this outfit again making it even more collectable – a brand new outfit was unveiled last month by the new Lara Croft model, Jill de Jong.

Jeremy Heath-Smith, managing director of Core Design says, “This outfit is one of the most desired items in computer game history. We hope it will raise a substantial amount of money for a very worthwhile cause.”

Rose Nelson, regional fundraising manager of UNICEF UK says, “Education opens an infinite number of doors for children and it is our hope that all children everywhere can receive their right to a basic education. Sadly though, more than 130 million children world-wide - most of them girls - are being denied this right. UNICEF is working very hard to get these children in to school and we are so grateful to Eidos and the public for supporting our efforts.”

Jennie Reed, marketing communications manager of eBay UK says, “We are sure that this Lara Croft outfit will prove to be a huge hit with girls, who dream of looking like her, and boys who want their girlfriends to look like her! With such a world-wide appeal we are confident that a significant amount of money will be raised by selling the item on eBay, for what is such a good cause.”

How to bid?

This auction is running with the pre-approved bidders overview system.
This means only pre-approved bidders will be allowed to bid.
The reason being that we want to guarantee a great auction for all serious bidders.
If you want to pre-register with us to participate in this auction send an email to [email protected] for instruction.

To view the outfit WWW.LARACROFTAUCTION.EIDOS.COM
To visit the Lara Croft website WWW.TOMBRAIDER.COM
For more information about UNICEF or if you would like to make a donation
then please go to WWW.UNICEF.ORG.UK

Promotion of the Auction on the Eidos Interactive UK Website - April 29th 2002
You really do want a piece of Lara!
We’ve been inundated. Swamped even, with people requesting to become a part of the Eidos Interactive and UNICEF Charity auction now taking place on EBAY.CO.UK. By auctioning the world famous Lara Croft suit as worn by Nell McAndrew, we hope to raise money for the children’s charity that works in over 160 countries around the world.

The bidding started £1, but it was obvious that it was never going to stay that way. And indeed it hasn’t. At the time of writing, with five more days still to run on the auction the latest bid stands at a whopping £2,051! If you’re ready to compete with the big bidders then it’s not too late to register your vote as the auction closes on Monday 6th May.

If you’re the extremely lucky winner, you’ll walk away with the following items:
  • Lara's 'trademark' circular Sunglasses
  • Green rubber all-in-one vest
  • Open-backed leather gloves
  • Military-style shorts
  • Backpack
  • Twin leather holsters with large buckle belt
  • Twin Colt Delta Elite 10mm replica pistols
  • Thick woollen calf-length socks

Information on the eBay Auction Page
This is a unique opportunity to own a priceless piece of gaming history!

The successful bidder will walk away with one of the most famous outfits of contemporary popular culture, whilst also contributing to UNICEF's work with children in more than 160 countries around the world.

The Lara Croft Outfit
The original Lara Croft outfit worn by Nell McAndrew consists of :
  • Lara's 'trademark' circular Sunglasses
  • Green rubber all-in-one vest
  • Open-backed leather gloves
  • Military-style shorts
  • Backpack
  • Twin leather holsters with large buckle belt
  • Twin Colt Delta Elite 10mm replica pistols
  • Thick woollen calf-length socks
This outfit will come with a certificate of authenticity signed by:
  • Lara Croft Model (1998-99), Nell McAndrew
  • Eidos Chairman, Ian Livingtone
  • Managing Director of Core Design, Jeremy Heath-Smith
  • UNICEF Representative, Rose Nelson
The auction ran from 26th April 2002 until 6th May 2002, and the winning bid was £4,400. The new owner of the outfit was revealed to be Paul Lai.

Post Auction Article on the Eidos Interactive UK Website
LARA CROFT RAISES THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY

The sale of the original Lara Croft outfit has raised £4,400 for UNICEF, United Nations Children's Fund. The outfit was auctioned for 10 days on eBay and attracted serious bidders from all over the world.

The lucky bidder who finally secured the outfit was Paul Lai, a successful international tax specialist. Paul says: "It's crazy to think I now own the outfit of the video game industry's first sex symbol. I'm proud to help such a good cause as UNICEF. I don't intend to wear the costume, first I'll have to find a girlfriend with Lara's build!"

The outfit was worn by Nell McAndrew during her 1998/1999 reign as the official Lara Croft look-a-like. Lara Croft will never be seen wearing this outfit again as the new-look costume was unveiled earlier this year by new Lara model, Jill de Jong.

Rose Nelson, UNICEF regional fundraising manager - London says: "The magnificent £4,400 that Eidos has raised for UNICEF by auctioning Lara Croft's outfit will go a very long way to helping some of the world's 130million+ children who are currently not receiving an education. UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) is the global champion for children's rights which makes a lasting difference by working with communities and governments in over 160 countries around the world. The money generated through Lara's outfit will help UNICEF to continue working worldwide so that EVERY child can reach their full potential. "

Jeremy Heath-Smith, managing director of Core Design, developers of Tomb Raider says: "We are thrilled with the amount of money the auction has made for UNICEF. We know Lara has some very dedicated fans from all over the world, but this is a real tribute to the first lady of gaming."
Sources:
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20020608100407/http://www1.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=172
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20030427213440/http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=180
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20020604193706/http://www1.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=183
  • ​http://web.archive.org/web/20020601094335/http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk:80/laracroftauction/
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20020803125013/http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1097518712