Princess Diana was by far one of the most stylish British royals ever, be it her everyday sporty outfits or her red carpet ensembles, the late princess had quite the eye for fashion. Celebrating her unique style, Julien’s Auctions has listed three dresses owned by her, including a bold red dress by Bruce Oldfield that she wore to the 1991 premiere of Hot Shots!
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The dresses will be auctioned as part of a special auction titled Legends: Hollywood & Royalty, held by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies. The auction will take place, both live in Beverley Hills as well as online, from September 6-8.
Photo Courtesy: Julien’s Auctions
Princess Diana had a mesmerising collection of gowns, and the red dress by Bruce Oldfield was a special one. Custom made in London, the scarlet-hued, metallic jacquard chiffon gown was well-tailored despite its loose silhouette, featuring a loose hand-gathered bust, sloped ruched shoulders, and fitted ruched bodice from under the bust to below the hips. The horizontal folds fan out from the centre seam and extend to the back closure, while the bodice hugs past the hips going into an open skirt with a delicate hem floating to the floor. Princess Diana had worn the gown twice before in 1989, although many remember it from the world premiere of Hot Shots! at the Odeon Leicester in November of 1991 with President Arpad Goncz of Hungary and his wife Szusza in attendance.
Photo Courtesy: Julien’s Auctions
The other pieces from the late royal include a black-and-green number and a black-and-white strapless dress, both designed by Catherine Walker. A paper doll book featuring the charity auction dresses accompanies the Princess Diana lot.
Princess Diana wore the black and green bi-colour gown for a gala dinner on October 26, 1991, in Toronto. This gown displayed clean, fluid lines with a structured black faille bodice linked to an asymmetrical waist connected to a rich jade skirt into a floor-length hemline. The fringe sash adds texture to the design to create a complementary contrast to the structured bodice, while the back of the skirt features a slit past the knee at the left leg.
Photo Courtesy: Julien’s Auctions
The second Catherine Walker gown is a fitted-strapless-hourglass gown made from ivory silk crepe and black silk velvet. The hem is asymmetric, lifted at the front and leading into a short train at the back. The elegant silhouette included a godet pleat at the back, allowing for more freedom and movement.
Photo Courtesy: Julien’s Auctions
Catherine Walker was among Princess Diana’s favourite designers and was seen wearing quite a few pieces by the designer. In fact, Kate Middleton too has been seen wearing outfits from Catherine Walker on many occasions.
Speaking about the auction, Darren Julien, founder of the auction house, told The Daily Mail, “We look forward to celebrating 100 years of Warner Bros and over 10 centuries of the royal family with our special showcase of treasures from the legendary Hollywood movie studio and the beloved people’s princess, one of the most photographed women in the world, who changed the monarchy forever and whose persona continues to captivate the public and Hollywood today through tributes and film and television works about her life.”
