A ballerina-length evening gown worn by Princess Diana sold at auction for $1.15 million, which set a record for the most amount of money one of her dresses has ever sold for.
Though the buyer’s identity is unknown, it was reported that the new owner landed the dress in a winning bid that was “11 times its original estimate of $100,000,” according to People.
The BBC reported that the gown sold at Julien’s Auctions in Hollywood was a black, ballerina-length velvet evening dress.
The dress reportedly features “shoulder pads, a blue organza skirt, a large bow and a sash.”
“The fact that this dress, all these years later, goes for this amount — I think people continue to be in awe of her and her fashion,” Elizabeth Holmes, a fashion critic and expert in the royal family’s style, said. “Diana has remained a fashion icon.”
Diana reportedly wore the dress in April 1985 while in Florence, Italy, and in May 1986 while in Vancouver, Canada.
Where is Princess Diana’s revenge dress?
The New York Times reported that Holmes said Diana “knew the power of a picture.”
Holmes went on to explain that the dress sold at auction was a dress that signified when the princess began to understand her own style and take more risks with it, saying, “You can see that in this dress.”
One of the most popular style choices of the princess was her black dress that she wore for a gala at the Serpentine Gallery in London, commonly known among the public as her “revenge dress.”
People reported that the “revenge dress” is shown in an exhibit at the Museum of Style in Ireland.
“Of course, Diana knew that all eyes were gong to be on her,” People deputy style director Brittany Talarico said. “She didn’t have to say anything with words. It was a fashion response — that dress became her clear message to Charles and the world.”