The black silk evening gown worn by Princess Diana at a 1994 London gallery event will go to auction on 9 December, with Sotheby's estimating it could sell for up to £220,000.
Princess Diana's black silk evening dress, worn to a high-profile public appearance in 1994, will be offered for sale at Sotheby's on 9 December. The custom-designed gown by Greek fashion designer Christina Stambolian became widely known as the "revenge dress" after Diana wore it to a fundraising dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London on the same evening that a television documentary aired featuring then-Prince Charles discussing his infidelity during their marriage.
The auction house estimates the dress will sell for between £220,000 and $300,000 (figures cited by different sources), marking the first time the garment has been offered at auction since 1997, when Diana sold 79 dresses to benefit charitable causes. According to Sotheby's stylist Anna Harvey, who worked with Diana at the time, the princess made a last-minute wardrobe decision for the event and chose to wear the strapless dress, which she paired with royal jewels, a black clutch, and black heels.
Sotheby's officials have characterised the dress as a significant cultural moment, noting that Diana used her fashion choice to communicate a deliberate message during a turbulent period of intense media scrutiny. The upcoming sale follows other notable sales from Diana's personal collection, including a black sheep patterned sweater that sold for £920,000 at Sotheby's New York in 2023.