Diana, Princess of Wales
Haute Couture special creation, 1996
The year he was appointed as Creative Director of women’s fashion at the House of Dior, John Galliano’s first creation was for Diana, Princess of Wales, for the Met Gala in December 1996.
To celebrate the Christian Dior exhibition designed by Richard Martin and Harold Koda at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, many personalities were invited to the outstanding opening night.
Princess Diana, guest of honour, arrived accompanied by Liz Tilberis, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar.
She wore a trompe l’œil long evening gown that imitated lingerie, cut on the bias, in midnight blue satin trimmed with black lace. This sensual outfit was striking.
Princess Diana also wore a matching Lady Dior bag in midnight blue satin featuring charms adorned with strass.
Lady Dior is the name of Dior’s iconic bag which was gifted by France’s First Lady Bernadette Chirac to Princess Diana in 1995. It was later renamed by the House in honor of the Princess of Wales.
Princess Diana wore many different versions of this bag at various official engagements.
Since 2011 the exhibition concept Lady Dior As Seen By, which originated in Shanghai, has been introducing different reinterpretations of the iconic bag by visual artists, photographers and video makers.
Since 2016 Dior Lady Art has been a carte blanche given to artists so they can reinterpret the House’s iconic bag. A new limited-edition series is released every year.
© Laziz Hamani ; © AP Archive ; Collection Dior Héritage, Paris ; © Sipa Press