Almost 30 years later, Princess Diana's revenge dress is up for auction, again

The world knows Princess Diana. The world knows all about the royal scandal. And then, the world knows about the iconic "revenge dress" too.

Some dresses are remembered for their cut, some for the person who wore them. And then there are dresses that become a theme of their own. And the black dress falls in the latter. Revenge dressing literally became a trend thereafter.

And now, that dress is going under the hammer, again. It was last auctioned in 1997 June.

Sotheby’s, a premiere auction house, will auction Diana’s iconic black silk evening dress in New York on December 9. The dress, designed by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, is estimated to sell around $150,000-$300,000 (Approx. Rs 1.4 crore – Rs 2.8 crore). Princess Diana's black dress was auctioned for the first time in 1997 and will go under the hammer once again in December 2026. (Photo: Sotheby's/Instagram)

Let’s take a look back at why and when this dress became the ‘IT’ thing. Did you know the princess did not originally plan to wear this in the first place?

On June 29, 1994, Diana arrived at the Serpentine Gallery in London for a Vanity Fair fundraising dinner wearing a figure-hugging, off-shoulder black silk dress with an asymmetric hem and dramatic chiffon train.

It was, by any ordinary fashion standard, a spectacular little black dress. But the timing turned it into something much bigger.

That very evening, Prince Charles was due to publicly admit on television that he had been unfaithful to Diana. The revelations had already made headlines, and Diana knew the cameras would be waiting. Instead of skipping it, she attended the event and, at the last minute, swapped a more traditional Valentino gown for the black number, now called the revenge dress. The dress that said it all (Photo: Getty)

It was not just the dress. It was everything she chose to pair with it that also made a strong 'revenge statement.' And yes, she wore her wedding gift too.

Princess Diana styled black heels, a clutch bag and a statement choker. Reportedly, it was made from an antique diamond-and-sapphire brooch that had actually been given to her as a wedding gift by the Queen Mother.

According to a statement by Sotheby’s, the dress had actually been sitting unworn in her wardrobe for three years because Diana thought it was too daring. That night, however, it seemed to have found its moment. Her stylist Anna Harvey later said sheb simply “wanted to look a million dollars”.

And she definitely ate and left no crumbs.Why the dress is still hyped

Within hours of her appearance, the dress had earned its now-famous nickname, the “revenge dress”. The label stuck, but so did the image of her stepping out of the car.

“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,” Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, said in a statement.

Halimi further reiterated how this moment in history “gave license to anyone, but especially women, to use fashion beyond adornment and much more intentionally and meaningfully: as a shield, a weapon or both.”

And what lives on is not really the scandal, but the confidence. From the day, Princess Diana getting out of the car remains an iconic moment in history (Photo: Getty)

Sotheby’s describes it as one of the rare garments to have moved beyond fashion and into collective cultural memory.

Post her separation from Prince Charles, it is often noted how Princess Di fashion game changed from jumpers and baggy fits to Dior's slip dress at Met Gala and so much more.

The dress was last sold by Diana herself in 1997, when she auctioned 79 dresses to raise money for cancer and AIDS charities. Now part of the proceeds from the sale will be benefiting NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Hospital of Edinburgh.

After it's last display at Paisley Museum in the late 90s, it will be on public view again after nearly 30 years.- EndsPublished By: Jigyasa SahayPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 14:08 IST