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Lot #20. PRINCESS DIANA | CATHERINE WALKER BLACK VELVET EVENING GOWN
A top selection of the most beautiful dresses up for auction in Princess Diana's Elegance & A Royal Collection.
13007 S. Western Avenue, Gardena, California 90249
Phone 310-836-1818 | Fax 310-742-0155
June 24, 2024
Lot #11
A Princess Diana pink floral silk shirt dress designed by Catherine Walker for her clothing label "The Chelsea Design Company." Princess Diana was photographed wearing the dress at Prince William's Wetherby School Sports Day at Richmond Stadium on June 21, 1988; on August 22, 1991, leaving St. Mary's Hospital in London, and in 1992 leaving Prince Harry's school in Notting Hill.
A pink floral bias cut shirt dress composed of silk designed by Catherine Walker for The Chelsea Design Company. The dress features a folder-over collar, three-quarter-length sleeves with folded cuffs, and fabric-covered buttons that run from the bodice to the hem. There are two wide belt loops at the sides of the waist (belt not included) to emphasize the waistline. The impressionist floral pattern features soft and dark pink carnation-like blooms with green leaves. The bodice of the dress blousons for a baggy fit; then at the waist, the dress cinches in and goes into a circle skirt with a wide hem. The dress also features two diagonal cut pockets at the hips. There is a label sewn at the interior collar that reads, "The Chelsea Design Co. Ltd" with Sydney Street Chelsea London, Made in England, underneath.
Princess Diana started wearing Catherine Walker's designs when she was pregnant with Prince William. Catherine Walker's designs from 1982 to 1988 were labeled "The Chelsea Design Company," the designer writes in her memoir, "In Paris, people would laugh at anyone putting their name on a shopfront and calling themselves a designer without the skill and background to prove it. In deference to this inexperience we called our business 'The Chelsea Design Company,' rather than 'Catherine Walker,' the name being simply a description of where we were and what we did."
Princess Diana was photographed in this specific dress during Prince William's school's sports day where Diana competed in a race with other other mothers, ultimately coming in first place, on June 21, 1988. Also photographed in the dress in 1991 when she was seen leaving St. Mary's Hospital in London after sitting with an AIDS patient, and was seen wearing the dress again in 1992 leaving Prince Harry's school in Notting Hill. The current Princess of Wales Kate Middleton fashions have paid homage to Diana's, her Michael Kors dress in 2019 when she was dropping her kids off at school; the similarities between the two designs were quickly documented by fashion periodicals Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Town & Country.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item will benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK.
Additional links to images available upon request.
Bust: 40 inches Waist: 28 inches Hips: 40 inches (open skirt) Length: 54 inches (measured at center back), 32 inches (length of skirt from waist to hem)
PROVENANCE From A Private Collection
Lot #5
A Murray Arbied embellished tulle gown belonging to Princess Diana of Wales, worn twice in 1986, once to the Phantom of the Opera premiere (October 1, 1986), and again to a dinner at Claridge's for King Constantine of Greece (July 6, 1986). Diana was also photographed in the gown attending a ballet performance of Cinderella at the Royal Opera House on December 17, 1987. Ten years later in 1997, Lord Snowden shot portraits for Princess Diana's dress auction (June 25, 1997); the portrait of Diana wearing this Arbeid design was included in the auction catalog Dresses From the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales.
This gown was loaned for exhibition at Kensington Palace, from February 24, 2017 to February 2019, for Diana: Her Fashion Story.
A midnight blue tulle strapless gown with a fitted bodice that extends past the hips that then goes into a four-layered tulle flared skirt. The gown is lined with a purple acetate, the interior of the bodice is boned, and has an interior petersham waistband to balance the weight of the gown. Arbied designed the gown that features a ruched bodice starting from the sweet-heart neckline that continues past the hips, the entire bodice is decorated with mini diamonte stones in star-shapes, complimenting the dark blue, emulating a twilight sky. The layered skirt has an A-line shape, and the hem of each layer has crinoline tape sewn allowing each layer to float. There is a Murray Arbied London label present, along with a material composition tag.
Diana dubbed the "People's Princess," was also a princess of economics wearing gowns numerous times to support cost per wear. Diana wearing the gowns several times helped Arbeid's business as well as other designers she wore. Gowns can often lose a design house money due to materials, fittings, and numerous alterations, so Diana to help compensate for that time would wear a gown for several functions, helping the designer gain more press and clientele. Diana's patronage of Arbied's designs leadled to Estee Lauder, Danielle Steele, and Queen Noor of Jordan to become clients.
Diana was intuitive with her fashion choices, wearing this fairytale-like design with a gravity-defying floating flared skirt to a ballet performance of Cinderella at the Royal Opera House on December 17, 1987.
The lot comes with a copy of DIANA A LIFE IN FASHION: PART SIX published and distributed by The Daily Mail.
PROVENANCE Lot 28 "Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales," Christie's [Sale 8702], June 25, 1997.
Lot #21
A Catherine Walker two-piece yellow and navy skirt suit belonging to Princess Diana, photographed wearing November 8, 1989, in Hong Kong during a visit to Tamar, a British Forces shore base (day three of her visit), and for the opening of a Red Cross in Hong Kong; in London on February 14, 1990; and in London on June 15, 1991 at Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour Celebrations.
A custom single-breasted bi-color yellow and navy skirt suit designed by Catherine Walker. The suit consists of a single-breasted blazer with a high-notch collar lapel and gold-tone buttons and a straight navy pencil skirt hemmed below the knee. Both the jacket and skirt are lined and have Catherine Walker labels present.
Princess Diana in the late eighties, and early nineties opted for a streamlined, executive look that was feminine, sharp and framed her in a powerful light. Catherine Walker would often use navy and pastels with her suit designs to make the suit designs softer.
Princess Diana wore the suit when she gave a speech and awarded the Gopaul family the award for "Family of the Year" in London, on February 14, 1990.
Link to image available upon request.
PROVENANCE From A Private Collection
Lot #17
A Caroline Charles dark purple cotton velvet evening gown belonging to Princess Diana.
A floor-length cotton velvet evening gown with a demure neckline and small v-cut at the bust. The wide neckline extends off the shoulder, a neckline Princess Diana often wore and preferred. The design is statuesque with a fitted boned bodice that remains fitted at the hips with the skirt going into an a-line shape past the the hips. Charles's signature accent of silk rope piping is featured at the neckline, another luxury of this gown is that it is lined with a matching purple fabric. The dress has a Caroline Charles label and is marked a UK size 12 with a hidden zip closure that goes up the back of the gown.
Princess Diana became a client of Caroline Charles in the early 1980s where she wore numerous plaid and velvet ensembles as well as the designer's popular coat dresses. The designer began her career working with Mary Quant in the 60s and went on to start her label in 1963.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item will benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK.
Size Tag: U.K. 12, EUR 38, U.S.A. 8 Bust: 36 inches Waist: 28 inches Hips: 36 inches Length 52 inches
PROVENANCE From A Private Collection
Lot #23
A navy blue silk velvet cocktail dress belonging to Princess Diana designed by Catherine Walker for her clothing label The Chelsea Design Company. Walker's label The Chelsea Design Co. started in 1982 until 1988 when the label changed to Walker's name.
A long-sleeve navy blue silk velvet cocktail dress with a high neckline. The dress is fully lined in black silk with a Catherine Walker Chelsea Design Co. label sewn at the interior neckline. The dress has a blind zip closure at the back of the dress in addition to zip closures at each sleeve wrist for a close fit.
Princess Diana began wearing Catherine Walker's designs in 1981 while pregnant with Prince William. Following her pregnancy she commissioned Walker for tailored garments, specifically double-breasted outerwear. Walker's designs encapsulated, which she writes in her memoir, "a mix of French cut and English sentiment." Her streamlined silhouette mimicked military-style garments and tailoring for clean lines preferred by the Princess of Wales.
PROVENANCE From A Private Collection
