Princess Diana's Victor Edelstein, Catherine Walker, Murray Arbeid Gowns Go Up for Auction
“Princess Diana's Elegance & A Royal Collection,” an auction from Julien's, will go on tour in Hong Kong and Ireland.
LONDON — “Princess Diana's Elegance & A Royal Collection,” a new auction from Julien's, the Hollywood auction house, will hold the largest collection of pieces from the late princess' closet, including cocktail and evening dresses, as well as suits, shoes, hats and accessories.
The auction will take place on June 27 online, but before that the collection will go on a tour in Hong Kong at K11 Musea Gold Ball from April 18 to 29 and then travel to the Museum of Style Icons in Ireland from June 11 to 27.
“We are also delighted to bring back many of Diana's favorite fashion ensembles to Asia and Europe that she wore on some of her highly publicized international royal appearances and humanitarian efforts such as her Catherine Walker suit from her 1989 visit to Hong Kong,” said Martin Nolan, cofounder and executive director of Julien's Auctions.
“Furthermore, this showcase in Hong Kong represents Julien's efforts to expand our presence and development in the region and our leadership in the auctions of Royal Fashion,” he added.
The auction includes items worn by the princess privately, such as a black velvet Catherine Walker evening gown estimated to sell for $100,000 to $200,000; the two-piece yellow and navy skirt suit by Catherine Walker that Diana wore in
Hong Kong in 1989; a Murray Arbeid embellished tulle gown that the princess wore to the “Phantom of the Opera” premiere in 1986 and to a dinner at Claridge's for King Constantine of Greece that same year, and a yellow and black felted wool turban by Philip Somerville that she wore in Germany in 1987 and rewore again on Christmas Day that year.
Even though the auction is largely based on Diana's collection of items, there are a few pieces that belonged to other royal family members, such as a 19th-century nightgown that belonged to Queen Victoria and a short haute couture cornflower blue day dress designed by Hubert de Givenchy for Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor.
Last year, one of Princess Diana‘s evening dresses broke auction records — achieving $1.1 million, 11 times its estimate. Julien's sold the Jacques Azagury piece, which the late Princess of Wales wore while touring Italy in 1985. To date, it's the most expensive of Princess Diana's dresses to sell at auction.