The ballerina-length evening dress was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1985 to a dinner hosted by the mayor of Florence, Italy, and again to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in the following year. The dress was sold at auction for nearly $1.15 million on Sunday, setting a new record for one of her dresses.
Created by Jacques Azagury, the dress was described by Julien’s Auctions as “synonymous with the Princess of Wales’s royal elegance and eternal grace.” The dress, along with a matching illustration, featured a black velvet bodice embroidered with metallic stars, a two-tier royal blue organza skirt with a sash and bow, and shoulder pads which were one of her signature looks.
Fashion critic Elizabeth Holmes commented that “Diana has remained a fashion icon” in reference to the sale of the dress. She expressed that the amount the dress sold for reflects people’s continued admiration for Diana and her fashion sense.
The sale of the dress coincides with the final season of the Netflix series “The Crown,” which has renewed interest in the life of Princess Diana. The series showcases some of her famous clothes and highlights her evolution from a modest young woman to a glamorous international celebrity.
Diana was known for using fashion to communicate and draw attention to the charities she supported, and she evolved her personal style to include shorter hemlines, lower necklines, and bold silhouettes. The sale of the dress came following an auction in September during which Diana’s iconic black sheep sweater was sold for a record amount.