If you are one of the millions of viewers hooked on Netflix’s top-tier show The Crown, then you’re in for a real treat with your reel obsession. While the production crew for the award-winning series had to replicate Princess Diana’s decade-defining designer dresses, the real deal is on its way to Hong Kong. A finely curated collection of the late royal family member’s most photographed gowns and accessories will be on full display at K11 Musea in Hong Kong this April, courtesy of Julien’s Auctions, the famed Hollywood auction house.
“Princess Diana’s Elegance & A Royal Collection” will head to auction later this summer, but folks in Hong Kong now have an opportunity to view highlights of the dazzling collection, featuring some of the most famous attire worn by the late Princess of Wales. From 18 to 29 April, the pop-up at K11 Musea will show glamorous garments, including an elegant look that Princess Diana wore on a visit to Hong Kong in 1989; the two-piece yellow-and-navy skirt-suit she donned is up for close inspection (and estimated to fetch up to HK$391,635).
An iconic ink-blue velvet gown with a mermaid tail skirt that Princess Diana wore back in 1989 when she danced with John Travolta at the White House will also be under the spotlight, among so many other memorable pieces from her personal wardrobe.
“Julien’s is honoured to present highlights of our upcoming auction that will celebrate Princess Diana’s iconic fashion style and her reign as the ‘people’s princess’ at two exciting events in Asia and Europe,” Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions, shares in an official statement about the upcoming exhibition.
As for the auction, the estimates run the gamut, from up to HK$31,330 for a pair of Kurt Geiger emerald-green satin evening shoes that Princess Diana wore to a state banquet, to HK$1.5 million for a pink floral shirt dress designed by Catherine Walker, one of the late princess’s frequent collaborators in the 1980s. It’s not just all gowns and glory—royal milliner Philip Somerville created several hats for the fashion icon, also on show.
Great expectations from the sale are inevitable. After all, previously with Julien’s Auctions, Princess Diana’s Jacques Azagury ballerina-length gown, worn in 1985, sold for a cool US$1.14 million (HK$8.93 million). In line with her philanthropic efforts, the upcoming auction is for a great cause, as a portion of the proceeds will benefit Muscular Dystrophy UK.
“Princess Diana’s Elegance & a Royal Collection” Pop-up at K11 Musea
18–29 April 2024
Gold Ball, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
All images courtesy of Julien’s Auctions unless credited otherwise.
