Latest news with #JulienAuctions
CTV News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Princess Diana's ‘caring dress' fetches over US$500,000 in largest auction of late royal's fashion
Princess Diana pictured during a tour of the Gulf in 1989. Some of her most recognizable pieces are going to auction in June. David Levenson/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource A floral dress that Princess Diana wore to visit children in hospitals sold for US$520,000 on Thursday, as over 100 of the former Princess of Wales' possessions went up for auction in California. Sported in public on several occasions between 1988 and 1992, including during an official visits to Spain and Nigeria, the gown was referred to by Diana as her 'caring dress,' because its bright colours helped put sick patients at ease. Titled 'Princess Diana's Style & A Royal Collection,' the multimillion-dollar sale at The Peninsula Beverly Hills featured a range of the late princess's wardrobe items, including hats, handbags and shoes, as well as sketches and handwritten letters. Auction house Julien's Auctions described the items as the 'largest collection' of the royal's fashion ever to go under the hammer. The 'caring dress,' which was designed by high-end British salon Bellville Sassoon, was one of 10 lots to fetch six-figure sums. Among the others were a coat dress and cream silk evening gown, both designed by Catherine Walker, that each sold for $455,000. 'Caring dress' Dubbed her "caring dress," Diana wore the floral silk gown so often that the British press "grew frustrated ... because it confused people if the images were new or being reused," said Julien's Auctions' sale CNN Newsource Elsewhere, a lambskin Dior handbag given to Diana by former French first lady, Bernadette Chirac, went for $325,000, while a blue sleeveless shift dress by her close friend Gianni Versace fetched $227,500. A yellow floral Bruce Oldfield two-piece and three-piece Escada power suit both sold for $260,000. Prior to the sale, fashion designer Elizabeth Emanuel, who went on to co-create Diana's wedding gown, said in an press release that she had offered up archival items so they could be 'loved and appreciated once again by those who will never forget those golden days when Diana was our Queen of Hearts.' One of Emanuel's designs — a black taffeta evening gown that Diana wore to an event in London during her first official appearance since the announcement of her engagement to then-Prince Charles in 1981 — sold for $26,000. While many of items were worn on formal occasions, others demonstrated Diana's quintessential take on casual '80s and '90s style, including a scarlet nylon ski suit and an oversized sweatshirt bearing the logo of the British Lung Foundation (which both smashed estimates to sold for $325,000 and $221,000, respectively). Diana's fashion has frequently commanded large sums at auction — even during her lifetime. In 1997, she put almost 80 dresses up for sale via Christie's, raising over $3.2 million for cancer and AIDS research. The current auction record for a one of her outfits was set at Julien's Auctions in 2023, when the black-and-blue Jacques Azagury gown she wore to at least two public engagements in the mid-1980s sold for $1.14 million. As well as private viewings in New York, London and Los Angeles, a selection of Diana's wardrobe items from Thursday's sale were exhibited at the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, Ireland, ahead of the auction. The auction also included items belonging to members of the Royal Family, including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother, with some of the pieces dating from the 19th century. A portion of the auction's proceeds will go to the British charity Muscular Dystrophy U.K., the auction house said. 'Princess Diana's legacy lives on not only through her humanitarian work but also in the timeless elegance of her style, which continues to inspire the world,' said Julien's Auctions' co-founder and executive director, Martin Nolan, in a press release ahead of the sale. By Oscar Holland, CNN
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Princess Diana's memorabilia and clothing are up for auction in Los Angeles
The largest collection of Princess Diana's belongings have gone up for auction. Memorabilia and clothing from the late Princess of Wales are up for sale in Los Angeles and includes a cheque for £5.50 which she signed just weeks before marrying the then Prince Charles in 1981. The cheque is expected to raise £3,000 but it is items of Diana's clothing that are likely to sell for the highest amounts - with a cream oil Catherine Walker falcon gown designed for her tour of the Gulf in 1986 expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000. The dress was worn by Diana - who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 - to a private dinner in Saudi Arabia and she was never pictured in it. A blue silk floral dress that the princess wore on several occasions is expected to fetch a similar figure while a magenta nylon ski-suit and a peach-coloured hat made for her to wear on her honeymoon are among the apparel going under the hammer. Other items include Diana's beloved Dior handbag - which was officially renamed as the 'Lady Dior' by the fashion house in her honour - and birthday cards and handwritten notes that she sent to friends and staff. The sale is taking place at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, which previously sold a ballgown belonging to the princess for a record-breaking $1.14 million. Some of the outfits were auctioned off by Diana herself in the months before her death and Julien's Auctions co-founder Martin Nolan explained that the same clothing is reselling for far more money almost 30 years later. He said: "They're considered an investment item and they're a great conversation piece. People love Diana worldwide and we sadly only knew Diana for 16 years. Yet we feel she's still with us and we want the connection to her and the items provide that connection. That's the tangible conduit to the story. That's what we're selling." Nolan expects interest in the sale to be high around the world but believes that the items that belonged to Diana will appeal most to those in the United States. He said: "Diana is loved and appreciated and celebrated in the UK but she's absolutely held on a high pedestal here in the US. I've seen this with the people who are registering to take part in the auction from rural locations in various states who are suddenly awakened by the opportunity to own something from her life and career."
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Treasure trove of Princess Diana's iconic outfits set to sell for MILLIONS at auction in LA
A TREASURE trove of Princess Diana's clothing went under the hammer tonight — set to net a million dollars. More than 140 of Di's garments sparked a bidding frenzy as fans splashed out. 7 Before the Princess Diana's Style & A Royal Collection auction in Beverly Hills last night, hundreds of thousands of dollars in bids had already been placed. A flurry of interest surrounded the floral Bellville Sassoon dress Diana wore alongside Charles in Seville in 1992 — with one punter meeting the $300,000 asking price. The silk outfit was known as Diana's 'caring dress', which she often wore on visits to hospitals to meet patients, including The Lighthouse Project for AIDS in London in the same year. A custom cream Catherine Walker evening gown worn during her 1986 Gulf Tour of Saudi Arabia and UAE, had already attracted a $150,000 bid — half of the £300,000 estimate. Early bids also met the $100,000 reserve price by Julien's Auctions on a yellow Bruce Oldfield outfit Di wore to Ascot in 1987. Her favourite red ski suit, which she wore on the slopes in Klosters, Switzerland, in 1986, was expected to fetch at least $50,000. A blue cap was estimated at $4,000, while her 1997 British Lung Foundation sweatshirt was set to fetch $20,000. The collection was curated with items from multiple owners across the globe — with a portion of the proceeds going to Muscular Dystrophy UK. Handwritten letters and a birthday card signed by William, Harry and Diana were also for sale. Julien's Auctions executive director Martin Nolan said: 'This celebrates Diana's elegance and enduring cultural impact.' Diana 'would be furious that Harry left William to pursue her legacy alone', Phil Dampier says 7 7 7
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside the largest ever auction of Princess Diana's personal things – what can you buy?
The 'largest Princess Diana auction ever' is taking place on Thursday June 26, featuring over 200 items including signed books, wedding ephemera and clothes. Martin Nolan, co-founder of Julien's Auctions, told the PA news agency: 'This is the largest Princess Diana auction ever. Diana herself did an auction in 1997 to raise money for charity, sadly two months before we tragically lost Diana. 'So now we have over 100 items representing her amazing life and her career, and of course, she's the mum of the future king of England, Prince William, so we have really iconic outfits. 'Diana was a style icon, she knew what to wear, when to wear it, what was appropriate, she knew how to send a message by what she was wearing. 'She was very shy, but she knew by the items of clothing, it became sort of her uniform if you will and, of course, with all the amazing power suits you see behind me, the message she sent. 'She knew how to dress when she went on a royal visit to Saudi Arabia, or the United Arab Emirates, and when she was going to a hospital, she knew to wear bright colours that sick children would feel that she was likeable, huggable, approachable, and she brought hope wherever she went.' The live auction will take place at The Peninsula, Beverly Hills, California, in the US, on Thursday June 26. A portion of the sale of the Diana items will benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK. Here's some of the most iconic items on sale (and how much they were going for on Wednesday morning): Princess Diana wore this custom-made, peach coloured straw archer hat for her honeymoon send-off in 1981 and again in 1983, in Canberra. The hat was custom-made by a Scottish milliner, named John Boyd, to match Princess Diana's Belville Sassoon peach-coloured skirt suits. Current bid: $10,000 The princess was photographed wearing a pair of cream and black leather pumps with a gold chain accent in Newcastle, visiting Saint Benedict's Hospice in 1993. Current bid: $3,000 A three-piece lilac skirt suit, designed by Gianni Versace in the 1990s, is among the chic outfits available to purchase from the style icon's wardrobe. The letter 'D' is embroidered onto the hacket's lilac silk lining. Current bid: $10,000 The princess was photographed wearing the stylish ski suit on several occasions between 1985 to 1992, from Switzerland to Liechtenstein to Austria. Current bid: $20,000 An ornate jewel-studded broach, comprised of 18K gold, four-carat tourmaline and diamond, is also among the items auctioned. The dazzling accessory belonged to Marion Thorpe, Countess of Harewood. Current bid: $1,500 A gold-framed artwork that reads: 'GIRL OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER WOULD LIKE TO MEET MAN NOT QUITE THAT OLD' is also available to purchase. The artwork was previously owned by the Duke & Duchess of Windsor. Current bid: None yet, starting is $800 Bidders also have the chance to purchase the menu used for Queen Elizabeth II's Cafe de Paris Coronation Gala Dinner, held on June 2nd, 1953. The hot pink satin menu details the opulent meal, including the likes of caviar and foie gras. Current bid: $300 A purple silk high-waisted pencil skirt designed by Catherine Walker is also on offer. Diana wore the skirt at an event in Loughborough on April 24 1990. Current bid: $4,000
New York Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Can You Know Princess Diana by Owning Her Things?
One of the stranger lots that Martin Nolan, a co-founder of Julien's Auctions, ever put on the block during his more than two decades in the auction business was a thin slice of cake served at the July 1981 wedding of Diana, Princess of Wales, to Prince Charles. It sold for $2,831. That was in 2008. Today, Mr. Nolan estimates that it could fetch tens of thousands of dollars. 'We've noticed over the years that Diana is highly collectible as an asset class,' Mr. Nolan said in a recent phone interview. 'She's considered a blue chip as an investment. Also, people feel they have a connection to Diana.' The world had just 16 years to get acquainted with the princess, Mr. Nolan said, referring to the time between her official entrance into public life and her untimely death in 1997. The brevity of that period, he said, has only intensified public fascination. Many now seek out Diana memorabilia in an effort to preserve the connections they feel they had with her. That demand has pushed auction houses to put an increasing number of her belongings up for sale. This Thursday, Julien's is auctioning a large collection of her personal effects, alongside a selection of items from other royals including Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. On offer are Diana's Lady Dior bag (which was renamed as a tribute to her), dresses and hats and a group of more intimate pieces such as personal letters, birthday cards and holiday cards. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to Muscular Dystrophy UK. At high-profile auctions that follow the death of public figures — and continue years later, provided demand remains — items like clothing, furniture, jewelry and photographs are standard. But deeply personal objects have become increasingly common. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
