A flouncy, blue evening dress worn by Princess Diana was sold at auction this month for a record-breaking US$1.148 million (over C$1.5 million).
The Jacques Azagury gown, worn by the Princess of Wales during a May 1986 trip to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, is officially the most expensive dress worn by Diana ever to be sold at an auction.
Diana wore the drop-waist Azagury design in Vancouver when she and then Prince Charles formally opened the Expo ’86 World’s Fair.
Julien’s Auctions, the Hollywood-based private auction house that facilitated the sale, originally estimated the dress would be sold for around US$100,000 (almost C$134,00.) On Sunday, the auction house announced the gown sold for 11 times its original ask.
The gown was sold with a matching illustration of the dress, which highlighted elements of Diana’s iconic ’80s fashion sense.
Like many classically ’80s women’s wear pieces, the dress features shoulder pads. The padding is hidden under a velvet, long-sleeved bodice embroidered and painted with sparkly blue and silver stars. The bowed, organza ballerina skirt was a nod to Diana’s fondness for the English National Ballet.
The dress was created by Azagury, who is a Moroccan British fashion designer. It is a size 10 and was made in England from 100 per cent rayon, according to a tag inside the gown.
Before wearing the dress during her 1986 Canadian visit, Diana wore the Azagury gown in Italy to a dinner with the mayor of Florence during Prince Charles’ royal tour in 1985.
Julien’s Auctions said 100 per cent of the proceeds from the private sale will benefit the New-York Historical Society.
Prior to the auction, Diana’s dress was displayed at Kensington Palace in London as part of the Fashion Rules exhibit that featured dresses worn by several royal women, including Queen Elizabeth II.
In a 2017 interview with Azagury, he said he and Diana had a very “informal” working relationship. He considered her a friend.
Azagury designed numerous gowns for “the people’s princess,” including the since-iconic ice blue silk georgette mini-dress she wore to an English National Ballet performance of Swan Lake in 1997.
Before the sale of Diana’s Azagury dress, a Victor Edelstein frock worn by the princess in 1991 held the record for the highest price fetched at auction. It was sold in January for US$604,800 (nearly C$810,000).
However, other items of clothing belonging to Diana have also earned massive price tags after being sold at auction. In September, Diana’s much-loved sheep sweater went under the hammer at Sotheby’s for over US$1.143 million (C$1.544 million), almost as much as her Azagury gown.
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