The iconic “revenge dress” worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, described as “one of the most enduring fashion statements of the 20th century,” will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York on December 9. The auction house estimates the dress will sell for between $150,000 and $300,000.
The garment is returning to the auction block nearly three decades after Diana sold it in 1997 to raise funds for charities supporting cancer and AIDS-related causes. Later that year, it was purchased by Briege Mackenzie and her husband for £39,098, or approximately $52,909 at the time. The upcoming sale will mark the first change of ownership since then. Before the auction, the dress will be displayed in China, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Diana wore the black silk dress on the night of June 29, 1994, at a charity dinner at London’s Serpentine Gallery. That same day, her then-husband, Prince Charles, publicly acknowledged his infidelity in a televised documentary. Designed by Christina Stambolian, the dress was considerably more daring than Diana’s usual style and later became one of her most recognizable fashion moments.
