Emulating Princess Diana is not easy, even with her most iconic dresses coming under the auction block. However, there is no harm in trying, or in using this beacon of style as an inspiration, right? A gown worn by Princess Diana in 1985 has broken a new fashion record after selling for $1.14 million. The dress, by Jacques Azagury, was offered at Julien’s Auctions and unsurprisingly sold for 11 times its original estimate of $100,000. It’s the ‘Diana effect’ that’s prevalent even 26 years after her death.
The dress, designed by the celebrated Moroccan-British fashion designer, was sported by the British Royal in Florence, Italy, in April 1985 and again at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1986. This gorgeous ballerina-length gown is now the holder of the world record for the most expensive Lady Di-worn dress sold at auction. Earlier this year, that record was achieved by a purple Victor Edelstein gown worn by Princess Diana in a 1991 royal portrait, which sold for a whopping $604,800 at Sotheby’s.
Diana wore Jacques Azagury creations on multiple occasions, but this piece from Julien’s Auctions was considered special, paying homage to her patronage of the English National Ballet and her love of dance. According to Julien’s Auctions, ‘The dress, with padded shoulder pads, features a black velvet bodice with embroidered stars in metallic thread made from Jakob Schlaepfer fabric, and a two-tier royal blue organza skirt with a sash and bow. The ballerina skirt was the perfect nod to Diana’s love of dance and her role as a patron of The English National Ballet.’
In addition to this black and blue beauty, the Julien’s Auctions and TCM Present: Hollywood Legends event also auctioned a blouse worn by Diana for her engagement portrait in 1981. The pink crepe blouse, featuring a ruff-like collar, also fetched a cool $381,000, nearly four times its original estimate of $80,000. The buyer remains unidentified.
