Purple Reign! The iconic dress by Victor Gem, worn by Princess Diana in a royal portrait, is set to fetch £98,000 at auction
An iconic dress by Victor Gem, worn by the late Princess Diana in a royal portrait in 1991, will be auctioned in New York later this month.
The stunning deep purple gown, with strapless detailing and opulent silk velvet material, and a tulip-shaped tufted skirt is estimated at $80,000-$120,000 (£65,000-$98,000).
Sotheby’s will offer the royal ensemble that has more than once adorned the People’s Princess.
A 1991 painting by Douglas Hardinge Anderson saw Diana in the dress. The piece now hangs proudly in the Royal Marsden Hospital, which she attended, supported through philanthropy and served as President.
An iconic Victor gemstone dress worn by the late Princess Diana in her 1991 royal portrait will be auctioned in New York later this month
The dress was also part of the 1997 auction which included 80 dresses from the late King’s personal collection which benefited the AIDS Crisis Trust and the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund.
Diana also wore the floaty dress in a Mario Testino Vanity Fair shoot that same year, and she looked stunning with the black and white snaps that accentuated the sophisticated silhouette of the bodice.
The back also features three beautifully embellished buttons, adding to the piece’s glamorous aesthetic.
And it’s not just the real princess who wore the iconic design – a limited edition 1998 Franklin Mint royal doll also paid homage to the design.
A 1991 portrait by painter Douglas Hardinge Anderson (pictured) saw Diana in the dress. The picture hangs in the Royal Marsden Hospital
The original was designed by Victor Gem for the Fall 1989 collection. According to Sotheby’s, the number was thought up specifically for Diana, as the company’s dressmaker included the outline of a tiara in his sketch.
Victor designed dresses for the princess for more than a decade and offered his stylist expertise from 1982 to 1993.
It will be featured in Sotheby’s first curated auction, The One, which will feature “an unprecedented selection of the finest products of human achievement in history.”
The items together promise to “tell an extraordinary story of excellence in craftsmanship, artistry and endeavor.”
The stunning deep purple gown pictured features strapless detailing and opulent silk velvet material
It will be featured in Sotheby’s first curated auction, The One, which will feature “an unprecedented selection of the finest products of human achievement in history.”
The evening gown will be on display alongside the Sotheby’s Masters Week exhibitions from January 21st and will be auctioned off in New York on January 27th at live auction ‘The One’.
A Sotheby’s spokesman said the princess’s fashion legacy is still felt through “iconic” designs like these.
“Twenty-five years after her death, Princess Diana continues to leave a lasting impact on the world,” they said.
“A true testament to her legacy is the fact that younger generations, too young to know her, or perhaps not even born, have fallen in love with the ‘People’s Princess’.
“We are so excited to offer the iconic dress and to share the incredible story behind the moments Diana was spotted donning it as she wore it as elegantly and confidently as all of her iconic looks.”
Christina Prescott-Walker, Global Director, Regional Art and Objects at Sotheby’s added: “To feature this dress in our first curated auction, The One, which puts it in dialogue with many other first-class objects spanning millennia of human history, is a testament to Diana’s irrepressible spirit.’
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