The iconic 1980s dress worn by Princess Diana was auctioned in Beverly Hills for £904,262, eleven times its estimated value.
Thanks to the latest series of “The Crown,” all eyes have been on the wardrobe worn by Princess Diana in the last summer before her death in August 1997: neon swimsuits and leopard-print Versace outfits, bold and unapologetic for her stays in Saint-Tropez; the array of elegant change dresses ready for her perennial favorite charity events by Catherine Walker; and the relaxed style of her chinos and loafers for post-workout moments.
However, it was the opulence of the 1980s that drew bidders to a recent auction at Julien’s Auctions, “Hollywood Legends,” in Beverly Hills, where an Azagury evening gown with shoulder pads, sequins, and star embroideries was sold on Sunday for £904,262. Princess Diana first wore the dress in 1985 to accompany her then-husband, Prince Charles, to a dinner at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, and again the following year for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The London-based, Moroccan-born designer’s dress, complete with a voluminous organza skirt, waist bow, and hand-sewn metallic details, fetched the highest sum of any dress worn by the Princess at auction, selling for 11 times the original estimated value.
In terms of Diana’s wardrobe, 2023 has been a year of six-figure sales. In September, a Sotheby’s auction saw the black sheep knit sweater from the British brand Warm & Wonderful, worn by Diana at the age of 19 in 1981 to watch Prince Charles play polo, sell for £886,347. The sweater, valued at around £63,000, instantly became the most expensive knitted garment sold at auction (followed by Kurt Cobain’s unwashed khaki cardigan with cigarette burns worn during a Nirvana unplugged concert for £260,000). In January, Kim Kardashian also acquired a piece from the late Princess of Wales’ wardrobe: the Attallah Cross with amethysts, crafted by the royal jeweler Garrard in 1920. The piece sold at Sotheby’s for £160,000.
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