Diana dress fetches record-breaking price tag at auction

A gown worn by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1985 broke a new fashion record, going under the hammer in Hollywood for 11 times its estimated price.

The black, ballerina-length velvet evening dress sold at Julien’s Auctions for a grand total of 1,148,080 US dollars (£904,262).

It came with a matching illustration and had previously been estimated by experts as likely to sell for 100,000 dollars (£78,776).

A blouse worn by Diana for her engagement portrait in 1981 was sold for four times its estimate (Julien’s Auctions/PA). PA Media

However, due to its actual sale price, the gown – which came complete with shoulder pads, a blue organza skirt, a large bow, and a sash – is now the new record holder as the most expensive dress worn by Diana sold at auction.

The previous record holder, a 1991 velvet gown by Victor Edelstein, fetched 604,800 dollars (£476,437) at an auction in January.

That means Diana’s Jacques Azagury gown has nearly doubled the gap between first and second place.

Diana initially donned the frock in Italy in 1985 whilst on a royal tour with her then-husband Charles, Prince of Wales, and again to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1986.

The collector’s item was constructed with fabric chosen by world-renowned textile merchant Jakob Schlaepher and featured metallic embroidered stars carefully threaded by the design team at Jacques Azagury.

The ballerina skirt was considered a nod to her patronage of the English National Ballet and her love of dance.

Diana went on to wear several Jacques Azagury pieces during her time with the royal family, with the Moroccan-British fashion designer creating her wedding dress for her 1981 nuptials to Charles.

Also on sale at the Julien’s Auctions and TCM Present: Hollywood Legends event was a blouse worn by Diana for her engagement portrait in 1981.

The pink crepe blouse features a ruff-like collar and loose pleats to the front, worn by Diana, and was captured on film by royal photographer Lord Snowdon.

It sold for 381,000 dollars (£300,990), nearly four times its original estimate of 80,000 dollars.

Hollywood stars’ clothes also up for auction included a Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1963 comedy Charade, a sleeveless gown worn by Gloria Swanson in the 1950 noir film Sunset Boulevard and Barbra Streisand’s sailor dress from a 1960s special called My Name Is Barbra.