Princess Diana's 'revenge dress' heads to auction and could top $300,000: The night that gave the dress its name

Revenge served stylish, indeed.

Thirty years after Princess Diana stepped out in the black dress that instantly became part of fashion history, the gown is heading to auction.

Sotheby’s will offer the famous 'revenge dress' in New York on December 9, with an estimated value of $150,000 to $300,000. Before the sale, the gown is making stops around the world.

The dress that made history

Designed by Greek-born designer Christina Stambolian, the gown is an off-the-shoulder black silk evening dress with a chiffon train. Descriptions vary slightly, with some sources referring to the fabric as silk crepe. The design features a ruched bodice, a figure-hugging skirt, an asymmetric hem and a side sash. Some descriptions also note its sweetheart neckline and above-the-knee finish.

The dress reportedly cost £900. Diana kept the styling relatively straightforward: Black silk Manolo Blahnik pumps, a Salvatore Ferragamo envelope clutch and sheer black tights. She added a sapphire necklace and bright red nail polish, a small but striking contrast against the all-black look.

She bought it three years earlier

The dress may eternally be associated with one particular night in 1994, but Diana had owned it for years before that. She bought it from Stambolian’s boutique on Beauchamp Place in 1991, apparently waiting for the right occasion to wear it. According to a biography cited by Town & Country, Diana told the designer she wanted “a special dress for a special occasion.”

Stambolian later recalled that it was about three years before Diana finally wore it.

The wait turned out to be worth it.

Her stylist at the time, Anna Harvey, offered a simpler explanation, saying Diana “wanted to look a million dollars.”

The evening of June 29, 1994

Diana wore the dress to a Vanity Fair fundraising dinner for the Serpentine Gallery. She had initially declined the invitation but accepted it two days before the event. That same evening, ITV aired Prince Charles’ interview with Jonathan Dimbleby, in which he acknowledged being unfaithful. Diana was aware the interview was being broadcast and went ahead with her scheduled appearance.

Some accounts say Diana had originally planned to wear another gown but changed her mind. Her stylist at the time, as quoted by CNN, Anna Harvey, said Diana simply “wanted to look a million dollars."

Photographs of Diana in the dress quickly appeared around the world. The following day, The Sun used the headline “Revenge is chic,” and the nickname “revenge dress” subsequently stuck, although Diana herself never used the term.

Over the years, the dress has been interpreted in different ways, from a pointed response to the events of that evening to a simple choice to dress confidently for a major public appearance. Sotheby’s Morgane Halimi told the Associated Press that Diana was “taking back the story.”

From Diana's wardrobe to charity auction

Diana never wore the dress again.

In June 1997, she put it up for auction along with 78 other pieces from her wardrobe, raising money for charities supporting causes including cancer and AIDS.

The dress appeared as Lot 2 at Christie’s New York on June 25, 1997. It sold for £39,098 to a couple who later used it to support charitable fundraising in Scotland.

The wider sale raised more than $3.25 million. Diana died just weeks later.

Where the dress is going next

Before reaching the auction block in New York, the gown is travelling internationally.

The dress is on show at Sotheby's London until September 24. It then travels to Hong Kong from October 1 to 15 and Geneva from November 6 to 11, before arriving in New York for the December 9 sale.

It will be sold with a copy of the 1997 Christie's catalogue, signed by Diana and Stambolian, which credits Prince William with suggesting the original charity sale.

Part of the proceeds from the upcoming auction will go to NHS Lothian Charity on behalf of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Sotheby's has not publicly identified the family selling the dress. In a statement, the consignor's wife said she and her late husband had always known it was special. "With him gone, that chapter has closed," she said.

Why Diana’s clothes still command attention

The $150,000 to $300,000 estimate may not tell the whole story when it comes to Diana memorabilia.

In 2023, the red sheep sweater she wore in 1981 sold for $1.1 million, far above its estimate. Halimi has described the black gown as “the most powerful item linked to Diana”, noting that it could attract both private collectors and institutions.

Its influence has also continued well beyond the auction world.

Elizabeth Debicki wore a replica of the dress in The Crown, while Diana’s twin nieces paid tribute to the look at the British Fashion Awards in 2024.