December 18, 2023 – 4:01 AM PST
LONDON (Reuters) – An evening dress worn by the late Princess Diana has sold for $1.1 million, 11 times its estimate, breaking the record price for one of her gowns going under the hammer, Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions said.
Diana first wore the black and blue ballerina-length evening dress, by designer Jacques Azagury, in Florence in 1985. She was also photographed in it a year later on a visit to Vancouver, the auction house said.
The dress, along with a matching illustration, sold for$1,148,080, Julien’s Auctions said on Sunday, after listing it with an estimate of $100,000 – $200,000.
“Julien’s now holds the new world record for most expensive dress worn by Princess Diana sold at auction,” it said in a statement, adding that the previous auction record was $604,800.
The dress is made up of a long black velvet bodice embroidered with blue stars and a two-tier blue organza skirt adorned with a sash and bow.
It was sold as part of the four-day “Hollywood Legends” sale by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which featured a range of memorabilia.
A pink chiffon blouse which Diana wore for her 1981 engagement portrait to then Prince Charles by Lord Snowdon sold for $381,000.
The blouse, by David and Elizabeth Emanuel who went on to design Diana’s wedding dress, had an estimate of $80,000 – $100,000.
Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Hugh Lawson