Why Golden Bachelor Fans Didn’t Get To See Leslie’s $60,000 Dress

The inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor went out with a bang on Nov. 30, and fans are still buzzing over what they saw. One topic continuing to fuel the conversation is runner-up Leslie Fhima’s comment about “that $60,000 dress.” Fans thought they spotted the gown in an earlier promo, but it turns out the outfit didn’t get a final rose, either.

Amid the speculation, Bachelor franchise stylist Cary Fetman and designer Randi Rahm cleared up the story of the famously expensive dress. They told the website Bachelor Nation that both Fhima and eventual winner Theresa Nist had the chance to try on and choose from several looks before filming the finale. Rahm sent Fetman “an array of around 15 dresses” that she thought might be good fits. “One of the ones that ended up not being picked was $60,000,” Rahm said.

The Dress Confusion

Fhima came close to choosing the $60,000 dress; Fetman told Bachelor Nation that it was her second choice. It seems she got her final two dresses’ price tags confused during her emotional breakup with Turner. “The only good thing is now I don’t have to walk down in that $60,000 dress, with the diamond earrings, and get on that platform and be completely embarrassed,” she told him.

Instead, Fhima’s final pick was the blue gown fans glimpsed in a promo, Rahm confirmed. “Leslie went with a classic strapless dress with a bold, beautiful blue color,” she said. “Leslie’s dress I call one of my Grace Kelly kind of gowns. It’s a beautiful chiffon and if you get up close to it, you can see the mixing of fabrics to make textures. It’s really something beautiful.”

Eye-Popping Price Tags

Rahm didn’t share the cost of the dress that Fhima ultimately selected, but it’s safe to say it was also expensive. She previously told Insider that her dresses are “very, very costly garments.” In addition to calling them “pieces of art,” she explained that they are “one of a kind.” Variations of her “diamond dress” have been worn by multiple past Bachelorette leads, including Clare Crawley and Jojo Fletcher, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $75,000, according to Rahm’s representative.

If ABC acts on fans’ calls to add The Golden Bachelorette to the Bachelor franchise, we’re bound to see more of Rahm’s garments on the spinoff. She’s been working with Bachelorette stars since the show began in 2003. As for Fhima, she’s a fan front-runner to lead the series, so she and the $60,000 dress just might make it to screen yet.