This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/21/2021
This daring Bruce Oldfield black velvet dress that was owned and worn by Princess Diana is virtually identical to the one she wor for an official portrait by Lord Snowdon in April of 1985 and has never been featured at auction.
This dress is the original design worn by the Princess prior to her requesting a custom variation- "a dramatic full length grown with a dramatic V neckline and even deeper V back with strap to rear neck applied with a large velvet bloom", which was worn to first night gala opening of 'Les Misérables' at the Barbican center, 10th October, 1985.
The dress featured at auction was originally given to Frances Shand Kydd, the mother of the Princess Diana following Diana's unexpected passing and was later gifted to a close family friend.
This dress was inspired from Bruce Oldfield's previous design of a 1981 sleeveless, white taffeta dress from his 1981 spring collection.
The story behind this gown was that the Princess and her mother, Frances Shand Kydd were at the Oldfield boutique where the Princess saw this dress on a mannequin and recalled her good friend and notable fashion editor, Anna Harvey had the same one. After purchasing and wearing it a handful of times she asked the designer, Mr. Oldfield to make her a custom version that she could wear to night events.
Kydd would go on to explain how the Princess was basically a co-designer in all of the custom pieces she wore as she always had final say of what she was to wear. The Princess would always give her input on the designs shown to her. She would go to the Oldfield studio and personally select the fabrics from the shelves. She would regularly suggest designs and styles she preferred which were always taken onboard.
Princess Diana always had an input into the design, color and fabric of the dresses she wore. She would visit the Oldfield studio and select fabrics from the shelves.
The Princess wore this dress multiple times and was known to "recycle" her old clothes. She wore this during a private meeting with the Queen as well as for a private memorial service for her father who passed away in 1992. It is also strongly believed that this dress was worn by the Princess for an official portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1985.
Black was a favorite color of the Princess, despite royal protocols which dictated that it should be worn only for mourning- a rule which she was to flaunt from the very start.
Bruce Oldfield was one of the Princess' favorite designers, making around 50 dresses for her over the years.
"Diana’s daywear is much rarer than her evening wear, which she auctioned a huge tranche of in the late 1990s. Daywear dresses she wore for more formal functions she either gave to friends or charity shops, so they have mostly disappeared. These were very well documented outfits and one of a kind as they were made specifically for her.”
Provenance:
Diana, Princess of Wales: 1980's - 1997
Frances Shand Kydd: 1997- 1997
Gifted to family friend: 1997-2015
. The dress is in good condition with some mild staining in the label and collar. The dress is accompanied by a letter of provenance from Ana Rose who was given the dress by Diana's mother Frances Shand Kydd shortly after Diana's tragic death. Ana Rose worked for Frances Shand Kydd from the early 1990's up until her death in 2004 in an unofficial manner, They became very close and Kydd gave her numerous gifts. After Diana passed away, Ana Rose helped Kydd unpack and store many of Diana's pieces, this dress is one of those pieces. Also comes with a Gotta Have Rock & Roll Certificate of Authenticity.
This lot has a Reserve Price that has not been met.