The Museum of Style icons at Newbridge Silverware, near Dublin in Ireland, is currently hosting an exhibition which will excite any Diana enthusiast. The exhibition is called Diana- a fashion legacy and is showcasing a selection of clothing previously owned by the former Princess who died twenty years ago this year.
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Amongst the items on display, is a dress which has been dubbed the “revenge dress”. The black, off the shoulder cocktail dress was worn by Diana to the Serpentine gallery for the Vanity Fair summer party in 1994. Earlier that day it had been revealed on ITV that Prince Charles had been unfaithful to Diana, cheating on her with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall who is now his wife.
Diana had purchased the Christina Stambolian dress years earlier, but as Princess of Wales, she deemed it too daring to wear. In a bold move, she decided to wear the risqué dress at the Serpentine gallery event in order to show her courage to the press. Diana’s wardrobe was always cleverly organised to reflect the occasion and she made sure that her wardrobe throughout her divorce reflected her strength rather than making her seem weak after Prince Charles’s infidelity.
As well as the stunning Stambolian dress, the exhibition features other items from throughout Diana’s life; from floaty frilly numbers when she was Charles’s Fiancé to clothing specifically created for state visits such as a pink silk evening gown worn on a trip to India. Another interesting part of the exhibition is the mock-up toile of Diana’s wedding dress, this is a draft version of the final dress which was used for alterations before the big day. Visitors can also see miniature versions of the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses which have been created by the original dress designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel.
The exhibition, Diana- a fashion legacy will run until 30th September. The museum also has displays of clothing from a number of Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn which will make a visit even more worthwhile.
