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Diana, Princess of Wales was renowned for her iconic style throughout her 36 years of life, and the legacy has continued for more than two decades since her death.
The royal is regarded as one of the most influential fashion figures of modern times, best known for her love of oversized tailoring and timeless dresses.
While some of Diana’s most famous looks included statement black mini dresses and pared-back sportswear, the tonal ensemble she wore to one of her last-ever public events is arguably the most significant.
On June 3, 1997, the former Princess of Wales arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in London wearing a beaded mini dress by French designer, Jacques Azagury.
The garment was known as the “Ice Blue Silk Georgette Shift Dress”, aptly worn by the Princess to the Royal Gala Performance of Swan Lake.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, founder of Vendula London, Raymond Lam said: “The Jacques Azagury dress that Diana wore on one of her final public appearances to attend a performance of Swan Lake has since become one of her most iconic looks.
“The icy blue colour of the dress compliments Diana’s blonde hair well, as this hair colour often looks most flattering when wearing something with blue or grey undertones.
“Additionally, blue is often seen as a calming colour and has connotations of sophistication, which make it ideal for a subtly glam outfit and pairs perfectly with what Diana was known to be like as a person.”
Famed as one of the designer’s “favourite” dresses worn by Diana, the garment was hand beaded with crystal bugle beads, set off by “Hepburnesque” bows on the dress straps.
She teamed the iconic style with sling-back chromatic shoes by Jimmy Choo and accessorised with the necklace of South Sea pearls, which was reportedly gifted to her by Dodi Fayed.
The necklace – made from 178 diamonds and five matching South Sea pearls – now forms part of a jewellery set called the Swan Lake Suite, which also includes earrings made after Diana’s death.
But it’s not the only touching detail of her outfit. Diana’s glamorous blue cocktail dress was just one of many offered by designer, Jacques Azagury, who specialises in intricately detailed gowns.
In the three months before her death, the former Princess of Wales almost exclusively wore designs by Jacques. Three of the most unique looks by the French fashion atelier happened to be worn on what marked the final public events attended by the royal.
One of which was the Red Silk Georgette Column dress which Diana styled just weeks after the icy blue number.
The Princess debuted the garment at the Red Cross Ball Gala dinner in Washington on June 18, 1997.
The dress features a deep V cut into the back, a hand-beaded bodice of red bugle beads carried a long red skirt with a sash of silk georgette worn around the waist. The sash was trimmed at both ends in red bugle beads.
The final Azagury dress worn by Diana before her death was the Black Chantilly Lace number.
This dress was a gift from Jacques to Diana on her 36th birthday and was worn by the royal to the Tate Gallery on July 1, 1997.
In true Jacques style, the exquisite gown was hand-embroidered with tiny sequins and beads. It also had satin straps finished with the “Hepburnesque” bow details used on the icy-blue Georgette gown.
