Princess Diana's iconic 'revenge dress' heads to auction for $300,000
Sotheby’s said the dress helped Diana reclaim control of her public image and was last auctioned in 1997 for $52,917, with proceeds going to charity.
Princess Diana's iconic "revenge dress", worn during one of the most closely watched moments of her life, is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's in December.
The late Princess of Wales wore the strapless black silk evening dress to a fundraising event at London's Serpentine Gallery in 1994, hours after a television documentary aired in which her then-estranged husband, Prince Charles, admitted to being unfaithful during their marriage.
According to the BBC, Diana's appearance in the dress that evening became an iconic pop-culture moment.
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Sotheby's expects the Christina Stambolian-designed dress to fetch up to $300,000 (£220,000) at the 9 December auction.
Diana had originally planned to wear a less striking Valentino gown but made a last-minute change before attending the event.
She paired the black dress with a royal necklace, black clutch and black heels.
The dress features an asymmetric hemline and chiffon train. Diana's stylist at the time, Anna Harvey, was reported to have said the princess wanted to "look a million dollars".
Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, Morgane Halimi, said Diana understood that fashion could be used as a form of communication, adding that the dress allowed her to reclaim control of her public image during a highly scrutinised period.
The dress was last auctioned in 1997, when Diana sold 79 of her dresses to raise money for charity, just months before her death.
It was purchased by Glasgow residents Briege and Graeme Mackenzie for $52,917.
Mackenzie later said the couple recognised the significance of the dress and bought it because proceeds from the sale were going to charity.
Following her husband's death, she decided to put the dress back on the market.
Before the auction, Sotheby's will display the dress in London from 18–24 September.
It will then travel to Hong Kong, Geneva and New York, where the auction will take place.
A rare copy of the 1997 auction catalogue, signed by Diana and designer Christina Stambolian, will also be sold alongside the dress.
Part of the proceeds from the latest sale will go to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital through NHS Lothian Charity.
The dress is expected to attract considerable interest, although it would not be the most expensive item from Diana's wardrobe to sell at auction.
In 2023, one of her sweaters featuring a black sheep among rows of white ones sold for $1.25 million (£920,000) at Sotheby's in New York.
