Princess Diana's 'revenge dress' up for auction

The infamous black silk gown worn by Princess Diana, known as the "revenge dress," is anticipated to fetch up to $US300,000 during an auction at Sotheby's in New York. The dress will also be exhibited in London in October before the sale, reintroducing the iconic outfit to the world more than three decades after its initial debut.

Diana gained notoriety when the photograph of her wearing the black gown surfaced in 1994, coinciding with her husband, the Prince of Wales, confessing to infidelity on national television. Crafted by Christina Stambolian, the dress swiftly turned heads for its daring color, plunging neckline, and above-the-knee hemline, challenging traditional royal fashion norms.

The auction is set to take place in December as part of Sotheby's luxury week, with an estimated value ranging from $US150,000 to $US300,000. This marks the dress's first sale since 1997 when Diana sold 79 of her dresses to support cancer and AIDS charities. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, which aims to fund extra care, equipment, and projects.

The dress will also be sold alongside a numbered and signed copy of the original catalogue, acknowledging the Prince of Wales for proposing the charity fundraiser. The dress will embark on a global exhibition tour leading up to its live sale on December 9, visiting Sotheby's locations in Hong Kong, Geneva, and New York. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, expressed that fashion can serve as a language when words fall short, and Diana understood this instinctively.

What makes this dress extraordinary is not just its association with the princess or its global headlines, but the powerful message it conveyed.