Diana – Her Fashion Story Review

Diana, Her Fashion Story chronicles the role of the late princess exploring her development from shy debutante to a confidant woman, who used her status to bring attention to taboo social issues and in many ways shaped the modern monarchy.  

The first room centers on her clothes in the early years of her marriage and engagement; the shy romantic Diana who loved frills and ruffles. A dress designed by Regamus for a Ball at Althorp House is the first dress you see as you enter the exhibition, the starting point of her journey. Also in the cabinet is the pink dress Diana wore for her official portrait in 1987 again promoting her fairy tale 1980’s princess aesthetic with the full skirt, princess line bodice and chic wrap around collar. Contrasted against these two pieces are a couple of her later dresses including a white pleated almost Grecian style dress she wore to a ballet in Rio de Janerio in 91’ . The development in style is apparent, the later dresses being much more fitted over her hips and more sophisticatedly elegant in pale greys, creams and soft silk organza in contrast to the crisp silk taffeta and tulle net of her early marriage. 

Reagamus Dress

Official Portrait Dress

Rio Ballet 91' Dress

That isn’t to say the princess couldn’t also be dramatic in her dress sense the next room bought your attention to her love of the arts and theatre in particular. Set in the cabinet with complementary scenery as if to evoke a theatre stage, were two of her theatrically inspired dresses. One of my personal favourite garments on display was a copy of a striking flamenco inspired dress Diana wore to a ball in Spain (with one black and one red glove).

The dress had an unusual finish on the hem; with the net skirt appearing to be edged with black binding. I particularly loved the theatricality of this piece it felt quite fun and dramatic, intended to get people talking. 

That’s something I felt strongly walking through the exhibition; Diana knew how to use clothes to make a statement particularly as she grew into her role of a royal she started to create a language through her clothes, always striking the right note. 

This was displayed clearly in the next room, the main heart of the exhibition; celebrating the height of her influence and admiration through a collection of her most striking and iconic evening dresses worn for state occasions and visits. Apart from anything else, I was in awe of their exquisite finishes and details. Highlights included the white beaded ‘Elvis dress’ the beading is absolutely beautiful so perfectly done. It is also the dress that gives you the best sense of how tall she was as it is displayed on a mannequin with a neck. 

While most were mounted so as the dress appears to stand on its own, hollow of a body but more on that later.  Another favourite was a red silk velvet jacket and dress suit, worn in 1990 and 92’ the jacket features eye catching beading of roses on the tailcoat and sleeves. Similarly to the flamenco dress I loved the uniqueness in the design. The iconic Travolta dress was unfortunately a little hard to see in detail due to the low levels of lighting in the gallery however the elegant style of the design is not diminished. My last standout piece was an ivory silk dress designed by Catherine Walker worn on a visit to Saudi Arabia. The silk crepe dress was embellished with beaded falcons, the national symbol of the country. The beading was so exquisite, a work of pure craftsmanship and the design reflective of the Princesses care to honour host nations in her dress. It is these dresses that feel most personal, in many ways they don’t follow the trends of fashion at the time they are a much more personal visual dialogue, created for specific occasions and to project very nuanced characteristics of the Princess.  In some ways they do reflect aesthetics of 80’s and 90’s fashions but they also feel quite timeless. 

Silk Velvet Embroidered Tailcoat Suit (1990/92')

 

Saudia Arabia Dress

Beaded Falcons Detailing

In the same room as the gowns was a small square cabinet showcasing three outfits she wore as day wear. One of these was the only piece in the exhibition not worn for official engagements, but for a trip to the shops. The other two suits from day engagements. They helped to communicate the more informal Diana and illustrated her role as a working royal, keen to bring attention to often controversial causes as illustrated in the short film playing on the projection screen in front of the cabinet. These outfits reflected how her style choices have shaped the modern monarchy’s approach to dressing for the public; from not wearing gloves, and hats when meeting children to her smart but plain suit choices, projecting an image of approachability not seen before. 

Smart but Approachable

It is clear Diana worked closely with designers and had a lot of input in her outfit’s designs. This was illustrated by the notes she made on design sketches of various outfit designs by designers such as Bellville Sassoon and Roland Klein. However I also found them inspirational from an illustration perspective, with the quite minimalist use of colour and line used to create shape, light and shade of fabric. I also loved how these elements created a sense of movement to the clothes.

Roland Klein

Bellville Sassoon

The final room showcases the dresses worn in the photographs from the famous Mario Testino photoshoot, taken after Diana’s’ divorce from the Prince of Wales. The room has a very different visual language to the others, it is much brighter and the central cylindrical case, soft lighting and subtle colours of the dresses created a calming sense of serenity. The diamante buttons and beads twinkled as her glowing face shone out from the photographs behind, communicating her newfound freedom and happiness.  The dresses in this room showcased a Diana crafting a new identity from her past through the colours and cut of her clothes. With the more neutral colour palette, lower cut necklines and sleeveless styles of all five dresses they projected the image of a woman embracing a new chapter in life.

In contrast, the dresses felt quite ghostlike in the way they were displayed; as if floating in the air creating Diana’s feminine tall elegant frame.  I found myself marvelling at the beautiful clothes, the exquisite construction but also feeling melancholy, knowing they are missing the person that wore them with so much personality and purpose. This was particularly felt in the final room where the dresses are all sleeveless; the lack of arms particularly enforces the lack of person to bring them to life. Coupled with their context in her life, as symbols of her new freedom, they are tainted with sadness, knowing we never got to see how this new chapter and new look would have developed. 

A display of her perhaps her most iconic dresses from the Mario Testino photoshoot

The diamante buttons twinkled in the soft light of the final room

Beading Detail of one of her dresses

A Diana Refashioned and Reborn

The exhibition is many things: it is a showcase of couture design and modern historical fashion but is more than this; it is also a personal story of one woman’s growth and maturity in the public eye from a shy girl to a confidant impactful royal.  In my view Diana’s clothes are more than fashion; they are more akin to costume design; as although they reflect fashions of the time they were designed for her, to make nuanced statements about her character, beliefs, presence.  This is the embodiment of costume design.  Catherine Walker described her clothes for Diana as her ‘royal uniform’ and Jasper Conran described Walkers relationship with Diana as a designer ‘who would concentrate on her’. This is evident in Walkers designs that flattered her tall frame well and emphasized her warmth, diplomacy and compassion through her designs. Her clothes tell of both a unique time in British fashion and the woman who wore them.

A truly fascinating exhibition that gives a very personal insight into the late Princess, with a gorgeous display of her dresses, constructed to the highest standard. The workmanship is incredible; from the beading to the pleating and hand finishes the exhibition displays a dazzling range of couture craftsmanship. It is also a great insight into high fashion of the 1980’s and 90’s. Well worth a visit!

References

Diana – Her Fashion Story., Kensington Palace 2017, Curator Deidre Murphy