Princess Diana’s ballerina-length evening dress by Moroccan-British fashion designer, Jacques Azagury, has sold for $1.1 million.
The late Princess Diana has been a huge figure in pop culture recently. From the countless movies, TV shows, and docs made about the Princess of Wales to her style still influencing fashion, Diana is still inspiring generations.
Maybe this is why the buyer, who is currently unknown, bought the dress at Julien’s Auction for 11 times its estimated worth of $100,000.
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 Schlaepher fabric with 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 being a patron of The English National Ballet” (via People).
The dress was once owned by People, who purchased the dress for $26,450 at the Christie’s of New York auction that Diana held shortly before she died in 1997. In 2013, People lent the dress to Kensington Palace for the “Fashion Rules” exhibit.
Princess Diana wore many Azagury dresses in her life. Azagury recently sold five evening gown replicas identical to those designed and worn by Diana to a private collector in Los Angeles for an undisclosed amount.
“The whole collection means a lot to me, and the only reason I am selling them is because, as of five weeks ago, I retired,” Azagury recently told People. “I really wanted people to keep enjoying these iconic dresses and ideally to keep the whole collection together.”
The sale of this black and royal blue velvet ensemble shatters the previous world record for the most expensive dress from Princess Diana’s wardrobe. The Victor Edelstein-designed purple evening dress sold for $604,800 earlier this year. A testament to her timeless elegance, the purple gown Diana wore for her 1991 portrait by Lord Snowdon transcended its canvas, inspiring Douglas Hardinge Anderson’s exquisite tribute that now adorns the Royal Marsden Hospital.
“Princess Diana has long been renowned and celebrated for her timeless sense of style, and this sleek and sophisticated bespoke ball gown, designed by Victor Edelstein, encapsulates Princess Diana’s effortless elegance,” Cynthia Houlton, Sotheby’s Global Head of Fashion and Accessories, said in a statement at the time of the Victor Edelstein dress selling (via People). “Today’s sale of this historic dress is a reminder of Princess Diana’s enduring legacy that continues to inspire people all over the world.”
Azagury understood early on that Diana was a fashion pioneer, noting that she was “always very excited by fashion, and she knew she would please so many people just waiting for her to come out in the next dress, whether they were waiting in the streets or watching her on the television. She took a long time ensuring everything was just right, choosing the right shoes and jewelry.”
At the same audition the Azagury dress sold at, a blush pink chiffon Emanuel’s blouse work by Diana for her 1981 engagement portrait sold for $381,000. This blouse was estimated to sell for $80,000, but the buyer seemed to feel it was worth nearly four times that.
Source: People
