Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Princess Diana's 'Revenge Dress' to be Auctioned

Princess Diana's iconic "revenge dress," worn on the same night her husband Prince Charles admitted infidelity, is set to be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York on December 9.

The strapless black silk gown, designed by Christina Stambolian, was acquired by Diana three years before she wore it to a 1994 party at the Serpentine Gallery, shortly after Charles's televised confession.

Diana's choice of the form-fitting dress, which defied royal protocol against wearing black unless in mourning, was seen as a powerful statement of independence and resilience.

The dress, which Diana paired with a pearl-and-sapphire choker and Manolo Blahnik heels, is considered a symbol of her reclaiming her narrative.

The current owners, Briege and Graeme Mackenzie, purchased the dress for approximately $64,000 and have used it to raise funds for charities in Scotland.

The gown is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $300,000, with a portion of the proceeds going to NHS Lothian Charity.

Diana's fashion choices, including this dress, demonstrated her understanding of fashion's influence as a form of communication.

Diana died in a 1997 car crash; months prior, she had auctioned many of her dresses, raising over $3 million for cancer and AIDS charities.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.