Princess Diana’s 1980s Evening Gown Sets Auction Record
Princess Diana’s iconic 1980s evening gown has achieved a record-breaking sale price of $1.1 million, surpassing its initial estimate by 11 times and setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for one of her outfits at auction.
The blue and black gown, designed by British-Moroccan fashion designer Jacques Azagury, has become the most expensive dress ever sold from Diana’s wardrobe, breaking the previous record of $604,800. Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles confirmed this record in a statement.
Princess Diana first wore this gown in Florence in 1985, and she wore it again a year later during a visit to Vancouver, Canada.
The famous gown, featuring a tulip-shaped skirt, was also worn by Diana for her portrait session with King Charles III, then Prince Charles, in 1991. These portraits were the last official photos of Diana before her tragic death in a car accident in France in August 1997.
The dress was sold as part of Julien’s “Hollywood Legends” auction, which concluded last Sunday.
At the auction, a pink chiffon dress that Princess Diana wore during her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, was also sold for $381,000, significantly higher than its initial estimate of $80,000 to $100,000.
Previously, the highest-grossing item was a wool sweater that sold for $1.143 million at a New York auction. Princess Diana wore this sweater during her 1981 engagement to King Charles III.
In 2019, a British charity purchased a dark blue velvet gown that Princess Diana wore while dancing at the White House in 1985 for $347,000. The gown, designed by Victor Edelstein, became one of Diana’s most iconic pieces.
Although Princess Diana’s life was brief at just 36 years, her legacy endures through time and remains valuable to this day. Her most prominent impact is undoubtedly her fashion style. She not only influenced women of her era but has also become an eternal icon in the fashion industry.
