Princess Diana’s dresses fetch £800,000 at Kerry Taylor Auctions
Tom Hoepf
A Victor Edelstein midnight-blue velvet evening gown worn to the state dinner at the White House given by President and Mrs. Reagan, when Princess Diana memorably danced with John Travolta, Nov. 9, 1985. Sold for £240,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.
LONDON – Kerry Taylor Auctions, specialists in vintage fashion and textiles, conducted their “Fit for a Princess” auction Tuesday, which made more than £800,000. The auction was composed of 10 important dresses formerly in the collection of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The top lot was the famous evening gown Diana wore when she was a guest of President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan and danced with John Travolta at the White House in 1985. The Victor Edelstein midnight-blue velvet dress made the top price of £240,000. Price includes the buyer’s premium. It sold to a British gentleman as a surprise for his wife.
Two Catherine Walker evening gowns sold for £108,000 each. One was a black velvet and beaded gown Diana wore for the Vanity Fair photo-shoot by Mario Testino at Kensington Palace in 1997. The other was a burgundy crushed velvet gown she wore for a state visit to Australia and to the film premiere of Back to the Future, 1985.
Auctioneer Kerry Taylor said, “Bidders today were able to buy a unique slice of British history. We attracted bidders from across the world including Asia, America, Austria, Australia and, of course, the UK, including three important museums so we are hopeful that now people will actually get to see some of the dresses that belonged to the People’s Princess.”
Contact the auctioneer by email: info@kerrytaylorauctions.com or phone +44 [0]20 8676 4600. Kerry Taylor Auctions’ website is www.kerrytaylorauctions.com .
ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
A Victor Edelstein midnight-blue velvet evening gown worn to the state dinner at the White House given by President and Mrs. Reagan, when Princess Diana memorably danced with John Travolta, Nov. 9, 1985. Sold for £240,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Victor Edelstein bottle-green velvet evening gown, worn for private entertaining, winter, 1985. Sold for £24,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Zandra Rhodes white chiffon cocktail dress, worn to the Birthright benefit at the London Palladium, May 1987. Sold for £48,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker burgundy velvet sheath with embroidered tailcoat, worn for the state visit to Korea in 1992, and to the premiere of ‘Steel Magnolias,’ in aid of the Prince’s Trust, Feb. 7, 1990. Sold for £50,400 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker sea-green sequined evening gown, worn for the state visit to Austria in 1989. Sold for £90,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Bruce Oldfield black velvet evening gown, worn for an official portrait by Lord Snowdon and at the first night gala opening of ‘Les Miserables’ at the Barbican Centre, Oct. 10, 1985. Sold for £50,400 includingbuyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker pink sequined ivory crepe gown with asymmetric neckline, worn at a banquet given by President Collor at the Itamaraty Palace while on a state visit to Brazil, April 23, 1991. Sold for £78,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker black velvet and beaded evening gown, worn for the ‘Vanity Fair’ photo-shoot by Mario Testino at Kensington Palace, 1997. Sold for £108,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker burgundy crushed velvet evening gown, worn for a state visit to Australia and to the film premiere of ‘Back to the Future,’ 1985. Sold for £108,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.A Catherine Walker Mughal-inspired lavishly embroidered pink slubbed silk evening gown and bolero, made for the state visit to India, February 1992. Sold for £66,000 including buyer’s premium. Kerry Taylor Auctions image.
