The dress Diana wore at auction for nearly £500,000
A dress by Diana, Princess of Wales has sold for nearly half a million pounds in an auction at Sotheby’s sales room in New York.
Victor Edelstein’s purple strapless evening gown “Infant” style, which Diana wore in a 1991 royal portrait, was purchased on Friday for $604,800 (£488.15) ) at The One curated auction.
Sotheby’s said the final bid was five times higher than the pre-auction estimate of $80,000-120,000 (£66,153-99,230).
Diana wore the dress for the first time for an official portrait by photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, ex-husband of Princess Margaret.
Cynthia Houlton, Sotheby’s global head of fashion and accessories, said: “Diana has long been known and celebrated for her timeless style, and sleek, bespoke evening gown. This sophisticated and sophisticated design, designed by Victor Edelstein, encapsulates the effortless elegance of Princess Diana.
“The sale of this historic dress today is a reminder of Princess Diana’s enduring legacy that continues to inspire people around the world.”
Diana will wear this dress again at the 1997 Vanity Fair party, photographed by photographer Mario Testino.
That same year, a deep purple silk velvet evening gown, with a stiff tulip skirt, augmented with three buttons at the back, was sold as part of a charity event.
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Deep aubergine velvet evening gown, with a stiff tulip skirt, complemented by three buttons at the back (Sothebys/PA)
It was part of an auction of 80 dresses to raise money for the ‘Aids Crisis Trust’ and the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Foundation.
The evening gown, designed for Edelstein’s Fall 1989 collection, sold 26 years ago for $24,150 (£19,492).
Edelstein, who would design other dresses Diana wore in the 1980s and 1990s, also made the dark blue, off-the-shoulder velvet dress she wore to a state reception at the White House hosted by the US President. United States Ronald Reagan donated.
During the 1985 event, Diana famously danced with Hollywood actor John Travolta.
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At The One’s auction on Friday, the jersey of American basketball player LeBron James from his 2013 NBA victory sold for $3.7 million (£3 million).
The shirt previously worn by James in a match sold for $630,000 (£508,366) in 2020.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/dress-worn-by-diana-sells-for-nearly-500000-at-auction-42316568.html The dress Diana wore at auction for nearly £500,000
