An auction house recently sold a Catherine Walker dress that the late Princess Diana had worn to a private event.
This dress was truly fit for a princess.
A garment worn by the late Princess Diana was sold during the Unstoppable: Signature Styles of Iconic Women in Fashion event by Julien’s Auction on Jan. 18.
And while it was estimated that the piece—a black, silk velvet cocktail dress by late designer Catherine Walker that the royal had donned to a private event—would sell between $100,000 and $200,000, it exceeded this expectation with the winning bid coming in at $325,000.
And you’ll bow down to all the details.
“The dress features clean lines and an off-the-shoulder neckline, a princess-seamed bodice with a boned interior bustier, and a knee-length hem,” a description of the dress featured on Julien’s website states. “The bias-cut ivory satin accents are sewn at the neckline, cuffs, and hem. The dress is lined with black silk and is designed always to look flawless when worn by Diana.
Giving a nautical nod, it continued, the satin trim on the dress mirrored a “rolled rope border.”
Princess Diana wore several looks from Catherine Walker & Co. over the years.
“The first time we met Princess Diana was in February 1982,” the company’s cofounder and Head of Design Said Cyrus, who was married to Catherine, recalled to the Evening Standard in 2018. “She was a delight to work with. She was very polite, very humble. She was never late for an appointment. She was, in every way, the most perfect client.”
And as Princess Diana’s life evolved amid her marriage to and subsequent divorce from King Charles III, her style did, too.
“During the 16 years that we knew Princess Diana her style changed according to the work she did,” Said told the outlet. “In the beginning she dressed as an ambassador to the United Kingdom, towards the end of her life she’d carved out a respected role on the international stage through her humanitarian work, and of course she dressed accordingly.”
Here are some of the famous Princess iconic looks at public and social events
