Princess Diana’s revenge dress displayed ahead of Sotheby’s auction — Asharq Al-Awsat
In London, auction house Sotheby’s has presented to the public for the first time in nearly 30 years Princess Diana’s black dress, known as the “revenge dress.” It will be sold at an auction in New York on December 9, with the lot estimated at between $150,000 and $300,000 before the sale, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
The 1994 dress
Diana wore the fitted black silk off-the-shoulder dress, created by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, on June 29, 1994. That day, a television interview with the then-Prince Charles was released, in which he admitted to infidelity.
The princess appeared in the dress at a gala evening at London’s Serpentine Gallery. The look was completed with a sapphire necklace, black shoes and bright red nail polish. The following day, British tabloid The Sun ran the phrase “Revenge is chic” on its front page.
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Tour ahead of the auction
Morgan Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said that Diana chose the look to regain control over her own story. According to her, items with a history connected to Diana traditionally attract collectors, and this dress may also interest institutions.
The dress is being sold for the first time since 1997, when Diana sold it along with other wardrobe items to raise funds for charities that helped people with HIV/AIDS. In 2023, a red sheep sweater that the princess wore to a polo match in 1981 sold for $1.1 million. This set a record for items that belonged to the late member of the royal family.
The London exhibition will run until September 24. The dress will then be displayed in Hong Kong and Geneva ahead of the auction in New York.
