Princess Diana’s celebrated ‘revenge dress’ is poised to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s on December 9, with auctioneers forecasting a final sale price of up to $300,000 (£220,000). The black silk evening gown was worn by the late royal to a Vanity Fair gathering at London’s Serpentine Gallery in November 1994, merely hours after a television documentary aired in which her husband, then-Prince Charles, confessed to adultery during their marriage.
The striking outfit, custom-designed by Greek fashion designer Christina Stambolian, quickly became a defining moment in pop culture history. Media outlets coined the term ‘revenge dress’ following Diana’s dramatic entrance at the event. According to Sotheby’s, her stylist Anna Harvey recalled that Diana expressed a desire to ‘look a million dollars’ for the occasion.
Diana opted for a last-minute wardrobe shift, choosing the strapless black gown which she paired with a royal jewel, a black clutch, and black pumps. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, highlighted the garment’s significance, stating that the princess ‘understood instinctively’ that fashion serves as a form of communication. Halimi noted that Diana used the dress to reclaim her narrative during one of the most scrutinized periods of her life.
This marks the first time the dress has been offered at public auction since 1997, when Princess Diana sold 79 of her dresses to benefit various charitable causes. The anticipated price tag significantly exceeds the £66,250 realized earlier this year from the sale of the vintage Jaguar XJ40 car she drove to the same event.
The upcoming sale follows the record-breaking performance of another item from Diana’s wardrobe. In 2023, a sweater featuring a black sheep pattern sold for £920,000 at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, underscoring the enduring market value of artifacts associated with the late princess.
Leave a Reply