‘Diana was always making her own statement’
WHEN SEASON four of The Crown aired last autumn, Princess Diana became the subject of newfound fandom among an unlikely audience: Gen Z. What did it matter that most of them were born after 1997? They were there for her as the establishment’s anti-establishment force, as a queer icon, as a woman who opened up conversations about mental health. And, of course, they were there for her style, too.
While those who did experience Diana in real-time already knew all the above, the fascination with her fashion – for both old and new fans – will only increase with the release of Spencer. Just don’t expect more of the same. Whereas The Crown served up the ‘80s pie-crust collars, kitsch knits and cocktail frocks, Spencer homes in on the early ‘90s.
This was a time of Diana in flux: raring to break free, growing in confidence, both in herself and as a global icon – something which translated into her maturing wardrobe and unique take on power dressing. Was it chic? Obviously (see the Chanel skirt suits). But there was also a playfulness – a strikingly independent streak in her clothes that is often left off the table when decoding the Diana look.
That boldness was something Spencer costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Academy Award winning for her work on Anna Karenina and Little Women) set out to shine the spotlight on. ‘When approaching this particular story, we felt very much that we were talking about Diana in the foreground all the time, and that the other characters were forming a background to her,’ she explains in the production notes.
Researching the film, Durran was confronted with an unusual problem: the sheer volume of images. So, for her first meeting with director Pablo Larraín, Durran brought a moodboard with a rainbow of outfits. ‘She was using almost every colour – there were few she avoided – and it was often very bright colours,’ Durran explains. ‘It is said that women in the royal family feel obligated to be seen by the public so wear bright colours, which might have been her intention. She finessed that if that was what she was aiming to do; she elevated it to another level.’
Diana’s relationship with colour became a central part of the costume design (red is a recurring visual motif). ‘[She] was always a brighter version than her surroundings,’ Durran says. ‘If the walls were dark red, Diana would be in bright red. If the royals wore green, she’d wear a forest green. She’s always one step brighter and making her own statement.’
One picture stood out to the pair; not from her 1981 wedding or in 1994’s ‘revenge dress’, but something quieter, and a look not immortalised in fashion history or indelibly inscribed on our collective consciousness – but something nevertheless, quintessentially Diana. It was a picture of the Princess dropping her children off at school in a red polo neck and a black-and-white checked skirt.
‘It became our starting point for everything; it was such a strong look for a modern woman,’ says Durran. That particular look makes its way into the film and no wonder. ‘Strong’, ‘modern’ – what better testament to her legacy is there than that?