Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ goes up for auction

Princess Diana's iconic "revenge dress," worn at a Vanity Fair party in London just hours after Prince Charles admitted to an affair, is set to be auctioned. The dramatic entrance at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994, donning a custom-made black silk evening gown by designer Christina Stambolian, became a pop culture phenomenon. The media coined the dress the "revenge dress."

Auction house Sotheby's anticipates the dress to fetch up to $300,000 (£220,000) on December 9. This marks the first time the dress has been offered at auction since 1997 when the late princess sold 79 of her gowns to raise funds for charities. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, highlighted how Princess Diana instinctively understood fashion as a language, transforming the dress into a powerful message during one of her most scrutinized and emotionally charged moments.

Diana's stylist, Anna Harvey, confirmed the princess desired to appear "a million dollars" for the fundraising dinner. The late royal accessorized the strapless gown with a black clutch and pumps. The vehicle Diana arrived in at the event, a vintage Jaguar XJ40, was auctioned earlier this year for £66,250. Should the dress fetch a price exceeding expectations, it would not be the first high-value item from Diana's wardrobe to sell at auction.

In 2023, a sweater featuring a black sheep among white ones sold for £920,000 at Sotheby's in New York.