A stunning evening gown donned by the late Princess Diana has just fetched an astonishing $1.1 million at Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles, shattering expectations by soaring 11 times beyond
its initial estimate. This sale smashes the previous record for the highest price fetched by one of Diana's dresses at auction, the auction house confirmed.
The dress, a graceful blend of black and blue in a ballerina-length design, was crafted by designer Jacques Azagury and made its debut on Diana during an elegant appearance in Florence back in 1985. A year later, she graced Vancouver in the same exquisite attire, capturing the public eye once more, as noted by the auction house.
According to Julien's Auctions, the dress, accompanied by a matching illustration, was clinched at an impressive $1,148,080 during Sunday's bidding, surpassing the earlier estimate range of $100,000 to $200,000 by a substantial margin.
In an official statement, Julien's Auctions declared, "We now proudly hold the world record for the highest price fetched at auction for a dress worn by Princess Diana." This achievement eclipsed the former record of $604,800 set previously.
The dress itself boasts a long black velvet bodice adorned with delicate blue stars, harmonized with a two-tier blue organza skirt elegantly finished with a sash and bow, creating a timeless and captivating ensemble.
This remarkable sale was part of the larger "Hollywood Legends" event hosted by Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a four-day extravaganza featuring a diverse array of sought-after memorabilia.
Another notable piece, a pink chiffon blouse worn by Diana in her 1981 engagement portrait to Prince Charles, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel—who later created Diana's iconic wedding dress—also fetched an impressive sum of $381,000, exceeding its estimated value of $80,000 to $100,000. Photo by Rajasekharan Parameswaran, Wikimedia commons.