Princess Diana’s revenge dress is going to auction for the first time since 1997

Almost 30 years later, Diana’s famous dress is back for sale

The black silk dress, which became known as the “revenge dress”, is expected to fetch up to £220,000 ($300,000) when Sotheby’s puts it up for sale on 9 December.

Diana wore the strapless gown to a fundraising dinner, where it quickly became one of the most memorable looks of her life.

The dress has not appeared at auction since 1997, when the princess decided to sell 79 of her outfits to raise money for charity. That sale came just months before Diana died, giving the upcoming auction added significance.

The return of the dress to the market will give collectors another opportunity to own a piece of one of the most recognisable periods in the princess’s life.

The moment Princess Diana’s “revenge dress” made history

The dress gained its famous nickname because of the timing of Diana’s appearance in it.

In 1994, the then-Princess of Wales wore the striking black gown to a fundraising dinner at London’s Serpentine Gallery, just hours after Prince Charles publicly admitted during a televised interview that he had been unfaithful during their marriage.

Details from the ITV interview had already leaked several days earlier, meaning the event marked Diana’s first major public appearance after the broadcast. Her choice of outfit was quickly seen as a deliberate response, with the confident look attracting huge attention.

Diana’s stylist at the time, Anna Harvey, was reported to have said that the princess “wanted to look a million dollars”.

The dress went on to become one of Diana’s most recognisable looks and has remained closely associated with the turbulent final years of her marriage to Charles.

Sotheby’s reveals the deeper meaning behind Diana’s dress

The significance of the dress has also been highlighted by Sotheby’s, with its global head of handbags and fashion, Morhane Halimi, saying Diana recognised the power clothing could have.

Halimi said the princess “understood instinctively” that fashion could be used as a form of communication, particularly during moments when she was under intense public scrutiny.

“On her own terms, Princess Diana turned the dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made, during one of the most scrutinised and emotionally charged episodes of her life,” Halimi said.

He added that Diana had been placed in a situation where other people were telling her story for her, but that her choice of outfit allowed her to take back control of the narrative.

Before the auction takes place, the dress will also be displayed internationally. It will first be shown at Sotheby’s London showroom from 18 to 24 September, before travelling to Hong Kong in early October.

It will then move to Geneva in early November, followed by a stop in New York, ahead of the December sale.