The late Princess Diana’s infamous “revenge dress” that she wore the night Prince Charles confessed to his infidelity is up for auction.
The then Princess of Wales turned heads when she arrived at the Serpentine, one of London’s most famous art galleries, on a warm June evening in 1994, dressed in a figure-hugging dress for a stroll. Vanity Fair– a charity dinner was organized.
Within minutes, a wall of photographers showed the world her silk-clad silhouette, and the image soon became the motto of generations. More than three decades later, he is back in the spotlight.
Christina Stambolian’s black off-the-shoulder evening dress will go on sale for the first time in almost 30 years on December 9.
The designer clothes, which auction house Sotheby’s called “an enduring symbol of confidence and poise”, are expected to fetch an estimated $150,000-$300,000 (£110,000-220,000).
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It will be presented and auctioned at Sotheby’s London starting September 18th., ahead of further screenings in Hong Kong, Geneva and New York.
FILE: Diana, Princess of Wales, during a party at the Serpentine Gallery in London. On the same day that Charles admitted that he cheated on Diana during a television interview, Diana appeared at the Serpentine Gallery in the so-called revenge dress – a low-cut, off-the-shoulder, figure-hugging little black number.
AP Photos/Files
Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles, who admitted his infidelity on television on the evening of a fundraising event, had been separated for almost two years when she stepped out in an off-the-shoulder gown boasting an asymmetrical hem and a dramatic chiffon train.
News of his extramarital affairs leaked days before the official announcement, so “Diana knew that whatever she decided to do that evening, when the program was broadcast to millions, it would inevitably make sense and be interpreted as a response,” Sotheby’s writes.
“The Princess had long considered the dress too daring to wear in public and it remained unworn in her wardrobe for three years – but on that historic day she decided it was time,” her then-stylist Anna Harvey, who helped her prepare for the evening, told the auction house.
Diana simply “wanted to look like a million bucks,” she said, noting that the late princess initially chose to wear a more traditional Valentino dress.
Sotheby’s head of handbags and fashion Morgan Halimi says the dress’s legacy embodies much more than just an edgy fashion moment.
“On her own terms, Princess Diana turned this dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made, during one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged episodes of her life,” she said.
“What became a global viral moment—long before social media made the term commonplace—also empowered everyone, especially women, to use fashion beyond jewelry in a much more intentional and meaningful way: as a shield, a weapon, or both,” she continued.
“What has endured for decades is not the scandal that erupted that evening, but Princess Diana’s display of confidence and composure.”
She added: “She came into a moment where much of her story was being told for her, and through what she chose to wear, she reclaimed her narrative.”
The last time the dress was sold was in June 1997, when the late princess auctioned off 79 of her dresses to raise funds for cancer and AIDS charities.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the dress later this year will be donated to the NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
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