The black silk evening dress worn by Princess Diana in 1994 is set for auction at Sotheby's on 9 December with an estimate of up to £220,000. The garment, acquired by a Scottish couple in 1997 for £39,098, will tour London, Hong Kong, Geneva and New York before the sale. Proceeds will partly benefit the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
What is the revenge dress and why was it worn in 1994?
The strapless black silk evening dress by Greek designer Christina Stambolian was chosen by Princess Diana for a Serpentine Gallery fundraising dinner in London. The event took place on the same evening that an ITV documentary aired in which Prince Charles admitted to adultery. Diana had originally planned to wear a Valentino gown but changed at the last minute to the off-the-shoulder design with an asymmetric hemline and chiffon train. She paired it with a royal necklace, black clutch and black heels. Contemporary reports described the choice as a deliberate public statement during a period of intense media scrutiny. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, said Princess Diana understood instinctively that fashion can be a language in its own right. 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. She walked into a moment in which so much of her story was being told for her and, through what she chose to wear, reclaimed the narrative for herself. Anna Harvey, her stylist at the time, has been reported as saying that the princess wanted to look a million dollars. The content of the ITV interview had been leaked a few days prior, meaning Diana's first public appearance after it aired was widely interpreted as her reply. The dramatic arrival at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994 in the outfit became an iconic pop-culture moment that defined how the princess used clothing to communicate at a pivotal time. The same evening as the Serpentine Gallery fundraising dinner, a documentary had aired in which the Prince of Wales had admitted that he had been unfaithful to Diana, after years of rumours and media reports.
How much is the revenge dress expected to sell for at Sotheby's?
Sotheby's has set an upper estimate of £220,000, equivalent to approximately $300,000. The auction house will also offer a rare signed 1997 catalogue from Diana's original charity sale. The catalogue carries signatures from both the princess and the dress designer and notes that Prince William suggested the idea of auctioning the garments. Part of the proceeds from the December sale will be donated to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital through the NHS Lothian Charity. The dress was last auctioned by Diana herself as one of dozens of items sold to raise funds for cancer and Aids charities. It was one of 79 dresses included in that 1997 sale that took place just months before her death. The upper estimate reflects both the historical significance of the garment and the continuing collector interest in pieces associated with the late Princess of Wales. Sotheby's expects the dress to sell for up to £220,000 when it goes under the hammer on 9 December, the first time it has been up for auction since 1997.
Where has the dress been since the 1997 charity auction?
The dress was purchased in 1997 by Briege Mackenzie and her husband Graeme for £39,098. The couple, then living in Glasgow, bought the item because the proceeds supported the charity Children First. They did not intend to wear the garment. Following Graeme Mackenzie's death, Briege Mackenzie decided to sell the dress. She described the 1997 purchase as one of the great days of their life together and noted that the dress had become instantly recognisable around the world. Mackenzie said her late husband and she knew that this dress was something special. Princess Diana was walking into the worst night of her life and you would never know it to look at her. It went from a cocktail dress to a statement in the time it took to photograph her. Thirty years on, you can say the words anywhere in the world and everyone knows exactly which dress you mean. The couple purchased the item not to wear but because the proceeds were going to charity, and the decision to sell now follows the death of her husband with whom bidding on it had been one of the great days of their life together. She told the Independent at the time that they had purchased the item not to wear because she could not fit in it.
What is the planned world tour before the December auction?
The dress will be shown at Sotheby's London showroom from 18 to 24 September. It will then travel to Hong Kong at the start of October, Geneva at the start of November and finally to New York, where the auction will take place. Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, Morgane Halimi, stated that Diana used fashion as a form of language and reclaimed the narrative through her clothing choice on that evening. The vintage Jaguar XJ40 car that Diana had arrived at the Serpentine Gallery event in was sold at auction earlier this year for £66,250. The tour allows international collectors and institutions to view the garment ahead of the sale in New York, continuing the pattern of global interest that has surrounded the dress since 1994. The dress will be toured around the world prior to its sale, appearing at Sotheby's London showroom from 18 to 24 September, before heading to Hong Kong for the start of October, Geneva for the start of November and then on to New York, where it will be sold.
How does the revenge dress compare with other Diana items sold at auction?
The dress is expected to achieve a higher price than the vintage Jaguar XJ40 that Diana used to arrive at the 1994 event, which sold earlier this year for £66,250. A separate Diana sweater featuring a black sheep among white sheep sold for £920,000 at Sotheby's New York in 2023. The 1997 sale organised by Diana herself raised funds for cancer and Aids charities and included 79 dresses in total. The dress, however, is expected to fetch a considerably higher price though it would not be the first time an item from the princess's wardrobe has sold for a significant sum. The contrast with previous results illustrates the range of values attached to different categories of Diana memorabilia, from vehicles to accessories and full evening gowns. It was last auctioned by Diana herself, as one of dozens of items sold to raise money for charities.
Frequently asked questions
When will the revenge dress be sold?
The auction is scheduled for 9 December at Sotheby's in New York.
Who designed the revenge dress?
The dress was designed by Christina Stambolian.
Who bought the dress in 1997?
Briege and Graeme Mackenzie purchased the dress for £39,098.
Will any proceeds go to charity?
Yes, part of the proceeds will be donated to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital via the NHS Lothian Charity.
Where can the dress be viewed before the sale?
It will be exhibited in London, Hong Kong, Geneva and New York.
Key takeaways
- The dress was worn by Princess Diana on the evening of Prince Charles's 1994 television interview.
- Sotheby's estimates the garment will sell for up to £220,000 on 9 December.
- The item was last auctioned by Diana herself in 1997 for £39,098.
- A signed 1997 catalogue will be sold alongside the dress.
- Part of the sale proceeds will support the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
The December sale marks the first time the dress has returned to auction since Diana's original charity sale. The garment remains one of the most recognised pieces from her wardrobe and continues to attract international interest from collectors and institutions.