Princess Diana ‘wanted to make a statement’ with ‘revenge dress’

King Charles married then-20-year-old Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981, in St Paul’s Cathedral. At the time, Charles was 32 years old and still the Prince of Wales.

The marriage lasted 11 years before their official separation in 1992. The couple finally divorced on August 28, 1996, exactly 27 years ago today.

The four years between the couple’s separation and their divorce were quite tense, with the late Princess of Wales using fashion as a powerful tool to convey emotions.

On June 29, 1994, Princess Diana stepped out wearing one of the most famous looks from her lifetime – her iconic “revenge dress”.

The Princess wore a stunning black dress commissioned from Christina Stambolian, to attend the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery.

The famous black “revenge dress” was a spectacular coup by the Princess, worn on the very evening that then-Prince Charles made his notorious adultery admission on television.

Despite dying in 1997, Princess Diana is still considered one of the most influential royals when it comes to their style. Diana solidified her style legend status with her sultry “revenge dress” in 1994.

So much so, that the dress continues to pull in 20 million searches a year according to Google Trends. Diana paired the Little Black Dress (LBD) with a gorgeous pearl necklace that became a signature look around the world.

The all-black silk number is still referred to by its unique name, 29 years after it was first worn.

Megan Watkins, the head stylist at SilkFred told Express.co.uk: “Toward the end of her marriage to then-Prince Charles, Diana wanted to make a statement with her clothes.

“The Christina Stambolian LBD she wore to an event at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994 made headlines and became known as ‘the revenge dress’ and is still replicated in stores today.

“Undoubtedly, one of the most iconic scenes from the recent season five of The Crown was the recreation of this slinky cocktail dress.

“It was the same night a documentary aired in which Charles confessed to his affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, forever cementing this look as the ‘revenge dress’.

“The original dress was a black off-the-shoulder Christina Stambolian gown, which is a classic take on the little black dress and a silhouette which we see return every party season in one way or another.”

Princess Diana was at the heart of the story in season five of The Crown. Diana did and continues to inspire fashion trends, but none of her looks are more famous than her “revenge dress”.

Searches for “Diana Revenge Dress The Crown” went up by 170 percent in the 12 months leading up to the latest Netflix season.

With the term “Princess Diana Revenge Dress Dupe” also being a breakout search trend, it is safe to say that her fashion sense continues to influence looks in 2023.

Charlotte Johnson, a buyer at Pour Moi commented to Express.co.uk: “It is really incredible to see Princess Diana continuing to serve as a fashion icon in 2023.

“Her outfits were regularly talked about in the press and amongst friends and families throughout the early 1990s, yet many of those statement looks continue to inspire fashion today.

“Not only does it show how timeless her fashion was, but also demonstrates the power of pop culture. Thanks to The Crown, a whole new generation of people will get to see these outfits recreated.

“Whether fans want to get glammed up and wear their very own black revenge dress or if they want to go for the cool athleisure look, Princess Diana is a great source of inspiration for your future shopping spree.”