Princess Diana’s legendary “Revenge Dress” is going back on the auction market, almost three decades after it was last sold, and will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York, the first time it’s been sold in the country.
The Greek-born fashion designer Christina Stambolian designed the black silk dress and will sell within the range of $150,000-300,000, and is one of the most eagerly awaited royal fashion collectibles to come out this year.
The dress is still one of the most popular pieces of clothes in modern royal history since Diana wore it on June 29, 1994. She chose the striking black off-the-shoulder design for a Vanity Fair fundraising dinner at London’s Serpentine Gallery. It attracted huge attention because it took place on the same evening that a televised interview with her then-husband Prince Charles revealed his infidelity during their marriage.
Related Articles
Diana's Dress became the ‘Revenge Dress’
The nickname “Revenge Dress” emerged in part because Diana’s arrival came at a remarkable time. She didn’t wear a traditional royal outfit that would have been considered a conservative royal look and she went down in a bold black silk dress to be so much more with a senior member of the British royal family than a typical high court dress.
The fitted design featured an off-the-shoulder neckline and a dramatic silhouette. Diana completed the look with a pearl and sapphire choker, a clutch and heels, and the image quickly became one of the defining fashion photographs of the 1990s.
For many years the dress has evolved into more than a celebrity's dress. Fashion historians and commentators have often considered the moment to be part of Diana’s progression from being an insecure person to a confident and independent person after she broke up with Charles.
Related Articles
Revenge dressing later became part of the culture of people and is about making a really strong fashion statement after a breakup, public controversy or painful personal time.
Designed by Christina Stambolian
Diana’s dress was created by Christina Stambolian, who designed the dress for Diana in 1991. According to auction coverage, Diana kept the dress in her wardrobe for many years before wearing it publicly in 1994. Its daring design was considered a departure from the more restrained clothing associated with her earlier royal appearances.
When it was finally displayed at the Serpentine Gallery, Diana’s fashion identity had evolved radically. She had started to use clothes in the mid-90s to express confidence, her individuality and her own personal style.
Since then the dress has been one of the clearest depictions of how a single fashion moment can take on cultural meaning far beyond the garment itself.
Diana sold the dress for charity before
The upcoming Sotheby’s auction is not the first time the Revenge Dress has been sold. Diana put the gown up for sale at a major charity auction in June 1997, where she offered 79 dresses from her wardrobe.
The auction raised millions of dollars for cancer and AIDS-related charities. The Stambolian dress was later purchased by Scottish couple Briege and Graeme Mackenzie and kept in their collection for almost three decades.
The new sale will also continue the garment’s charitable connection. Part of the proceeds is expected to go to NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Hospital of Edinburgh, thus adding an additional philanthropic dimension to the historically-based garment.
Dress to go on exhibition before auction
Before being auctioned in New York, Diana’s famous gown will be exhibited around the world. London, Hong Kong and Geneva are among the stops on the planned exhibition tour and the dress will go to New York ahead of the December 9 auction.
The travelling exhibition is expected to elicit great interest from royal fans, fashion historians, collectors and the public who want to see the garment associated with one of Diana’s most famous public appearances.
The fact that the original dress is returning to the market after nearly 30 years also adds value. Unlike reproductions and costumes inspired by Diana’s appearance, this is the actual garment worn by the Princess of Wales during the landmark 1994 event.
A Lasting Fashion Legacy
Diana’s Revenge Dress still speaks to fashion and popular culture decades after she wore it. Its image has been referenced repeatedly in celebrity fashion, personal reinvention and the cultural power of the little black dress.
The look has also been recreated for screen productions such as The Crown, and the original remains a particularly valuable piece of Diana’s fashion history.
And thus its forthcoming sale is more than a celebrity memorabilia auction. The dress tells the story of Diana’s development in public life, how royal women are being treated, and how fashion can become a form of personal expression.
The December auction is expected to fetch up to $300,000 and will bring in collectors from across the globe. Whatever the price of the dress becomes, its place in fashion history is well established.
Just 32 years after Diana walked onto the Serpentine Gallery lawn in the now-famous black gown, the original “Revenge Dress” is making headlines again—this time under the auction spotlight.
Comments 0