Possibly the first dress I've written about that marked the beginning of Diana's post-royal fashion style. Gone were the flounces and heavy embroidery. In its place, a sleek, sexy style Diana was to maintain for the rest of her life.
This dress is a black jet velvet halter-neck dinner dress in Clerici Silk Crepe. It was worn by Diana to an event organized by UNESCO, at Palace of Versailles in December 1994. She was invited in an official working capacity as president of Barnardo's Foundation for Children.
It was designed by Catherine Walker, and the inspiration for the embroidery came from an antique picture frame finished with marquetry edged in lead shot. She used black bugle beads for the marquetry and small boule for the lead-shot edging to frame her face and neck.
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According to Catherine Walker there are two versions of this dress. After Diana wore it to Versailles, she brought the first dress, which was made of silk crepe, to the designer for an alteration. Catherine Walker suggested changing it to velvet and Diana agreed. She wore the second velvet version for her iconic Testino portraits, taken months before her death.
It is described in the auction catalogue as A Halter-neck Dinner Dress in Black Velvet By Catherine Walker
The neck and one hip trimmed with black rectangular bugle beads edged with round black beads. The dress has a wrapped skirt to the waist.It was lot 66 at the Christie's auction and purchased by Maureen Rorech Dunkle in 1997 for $57,500; one of fourteen she bought at the auction. She was inspired to participate after seeing photographs of Diana wearing the dress in Vanity Fair magazine. This dress, and the thirteen others, formed part of her Dresses for Humanity tour. In March 2013, it was sold at Kerry Taylor auctions to Donna and Michael Glenn. They recently lent it to the Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibit at Kensington Palace.
© Marilyn Braun 2020
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