Princess Diana dress sells for record £900,000 at auction

A dress worn by Princess Diana in 1985 has fetched an astonishing 11 times its estimated price at a recent auction. The black, ballerina-length velvet evening gown, adorned with shoulder pads, a blue organza skirt, a large bow, and a sash, was sold at Julien’s Auctions in Hollywood for a total of $1,148,080 (£904,262). Breaking a new fashion record, it now holds the title of the most expensive dress worn by Diana ever sold at auction, surpassing its estimated value of $100,000 (£78,776).

The gown, accompanied by a matching illustration, was originally worn by Diana in Florence, Italy, during a royal tour with Prince Charles in 1985 and later to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1986. Designed by Jacques Azagury, the collector’s item features metallic embroidered stars and was constructed with fabric chosen by renowned textile merchant Jakob Schlaepfer.

This ballerina-length skirt, a subtle nod to Diana’s patronage of the English National Ballet and her passion for dance, has significantly surpassed the previous record held by a 1991 velvet gown by Victor Edelstein, selling for $604,800 (£476,437) in January. Diana had a penchant for pieces designed by Moroccan-British fashion designer Jacques Azagury during her time with the royal family.

The TCM Present: Hollywood Legends auction also featured other notable items, including a pink crepe blouse worn by Diana for her engagement portrait in 1981. The blouse, capturing a ruff-like collar and loose pleats, sold for $381,000 (£300,990), nearly four times its original estimate of $80,000 (£63,000). Hollywood stars’ clothing items, such as Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy dress from the 1963 comedy “Charade,” Gloria Swanson’s sleeveless gown from the 1950 noir film “Sunset Boulevard,” and Barbra Streisand’s sailor dress from the 1960s special “My Name Is Barbra,” were also up for auction.