Princess Diana’s knitwear has become a landmark in the history of fashion auctions, highlighting how a single garment can redefine a brand and spark global interest. A sheepskin jumper worn by the Princess during a public appearance in 1981 achieved a record price at Sotheby’s Fashion Icon Auction, signaling a turning point for collectible couture. The auction, documented by industry sources, drew intense bidding activity and culminated in a sale that far surpassed expectations.
Sotheby’s released a statement noting that the jumper drew 44 bids. After a strategic, multi-minute bidding window, the price climbed from an initial figure around $190,000 to a final sum of $1.14 million, making it the most expensive garment ever sold at a public auction. The outcome underscored the enduring appeal of Diana’s wardrobe and the cultural resonance of her style choices across generations.
The piece was produced by the British label Warm & Wonderful, founded by Joanna Osborne and Sally Muir. At the time of Diana’s wearing in 1981, the brand operated as a modest fledgling company, yet the dress sense she exhibited helped propel Warm & Wonderful into a wider spotlight. The historical significance of the sweater lay not only in its craftsmanship and design, but also in how Diana’s public image amplified demand for the label and similar British knitwear of that era.
In other recent auction activity, three dresses formerly owned by Princess Diana were also presented to collectors. Julien’s Auctions reported a sale that reached approximately £1.3 million, a figure that reflects both the glamour of Diana’s wardrobe and the enduring public fascination with her ensembles. Among the highlights was a striking red silk dress created for Diana in the 1980s by the renowned British designer Bruce Oldfield. Diana wore this dress on multiple occasions—twice in 1989 and once at the London premiere of a major film in 1991—demonstrating how a single design can travel through different moments in an iconic career.
This wave of interest coincides with broader market observations about royal fashion memorabilia, where provenance, designer, and the historical moment of a garment can dramatically influence value. Collectors and fashion historians alike follow these items closely, noting how Diana’s attire often impacted the brands she wore and how those brands navigated evolving markets in the decades that followed. The auctions also illustrate the power of celebrity-led fashion to redefine a label’s trajectory and to create lasting legacies within the broader tapestry of cultural heritage.
As collectors continue to explore this category, retailers and auction houses emphasize the importance of authentication, condition, and documented history. The Diana gowns and knits remain a focal point for inquiries, with prospective buyers seeking reliable provenance and clear narratives around each piece. The ongoing interest in Diana’s wardrobe demonstrates how fashion artifacts can transcend style and become objects of historical storytelling—their value measured not just in money but in the stories they tell about an era, a person, and the enduring pull of a public figure whose influence continues to reverberate across continents, including Canada and the United States.