On June 29, 1994, Diana, Princess of Wales, walked into a gala at the Serpentine Gallery in London wearing a fitted, black, off-the-shoulder dress with a flowing train. Always a fashion icon, this outfit stood out to photographers and all who saw those pictures. Amplifying the impact was a televised confession by Prince Charles that evening confirming he had been unfaithful to Diana during their marriage.
The next day, Diana was on the cover of newspapers, not her ex-husband — and the frock quickly became known as her “revenge dress.” Images of her wearing it became some of the most famous of the woman who was known as “the people’s princess.”
Shortly before her untimely death in 1997, Diana put 79 of her dresses up for bids to benefit cancer and AIDS charities. The revenge dress sold for $65,000, the equivalent ofnearly $136,000 in today’s dollars.
Sotheby’s, which is hosting the auction, expects the dress to sell this time forbetween $150,000 and $300,000. (In addition to the dress, the winning bidder will receive a sale catalog from the first auction (Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales) signed by Diana and designer Christina Stambolian.
“The dress’s off-the-shoulder neckline, shortened length, and body hugging silhouette was a clear departure from the restrained codes of royal dressing,” Sotheby’s writes in the item description. “Diana had styled a head to toe look that projected glamour and independence at a moment of intense public scrutiny. The following morning, newspaper front pages across the world carried photographs not of a defeated Princess, but of a poised, confident, and radiant woman.”
To whip up interest in the auction, the dress will go on an exhibition tour later this month. During London Fashion Week, the dress will be on display at Sotheby’s London offices. From there, it will go to Hong Kong in October, followed by Geneva in November.
From there it will journey to New York City, going on public view at Sotheby’s Breuer Building in early December, before the auction takes place onDec. 9.
Interest in the royal family remains strong today, not least because of the frosty relationship between her two sons. Diana was the subject of a biopic in 2021, which earned star Kristen Stewart anAcademy Award nomination. Her life was also dramatized in the Netflix series The Crown.
Prince Harry, Diana’s younger son, is also reportedlyconsidering making a film about her life as well, though that remains unconfirmed.
Chris Morris is a veteran journalist with more than 35 years of experience at many of the internet's biggest news outlets. In addition to his activities as a writer, reporter and editor, Chris is also a frequent panel moderator and speaker at major conferences, including CES and South by Southwest.
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