Why see them?
Diana was a fashion icon
This new exhibition at Kensington Palace focuses on the development of the Princess’s style from the romantic ruffles of the early 1980s to the sophisticated silhouette of the mid 1990s.
The exhibition of twelve dresses features seven never before displayed at Kensington Palace
The dresses include an early evening dress by Donald Campbell from 1983 and a little black dress from 1995 by Gianni Versace. Many of the dresses on display were designed by Diana’s favourite couturier, Catherine Walker.
They’re originals, made by leading British designers
Many of Diana’s dresses were made especially for her and are prime examples of the design skills and craftsmanship of some of the leading British fashion designers such as Catherine Walker, Victor Edelstein and Zandra Rhodes.
Famous dresses
One of the most famous dresses the Princess wore is the ink blue silk velvet Victor Edelstein creation she wore when she danced with John Travolta at the White House in 1985.
This is featured with a pink and blue silk taffeta dress the princess wore in Melbourne in 1988 where she and Prince Charles led the way on the dance floor. The exhibition will include images, both still and film, of the historic dances.
A famous auction...
Diana famously sold 79 of her dresses at a charity auction at Christie’s in New York in June 1997.
Dresses under the hammer included an evening gown by designer Victor Edelstein worn by the Princess to White House dinner where she danced with film star John Travolta.
The ink blue velvet dress took the highest bid and fetched US$225,000 breaking a previous Christie’s record of US$145,000 for a garment.
