Famous dresses worn by Princess Diana will be among the highlights of a new exhibition at Kensington Palace .
Fashion Rules; Restyled will include stunning garments worn by the Princess of Wales, as well as fellow royal fashion icons Princess Margaret and the Queen .
It will feature an all-new display of around 20 dresses plus accessories including sunglasses, scarves and capes, from the wardrobes of the three Royal fashionistas, and explore how the women navigated the fashion rules defined by their royal duties in unique style.
Work by designers Catherine Walker, Hardy Amies and Christian Dior will all feature, and it follows the successful Fashion Rules exhibition.
It will take in the ‘New Look’ glamour of Princess Margaret in the 1950s, and the the elegance of her older sister in the 1960s and 1970s.
But it is the tailored drama of outfits created for Diana in the early 1990s which is generating much excitement.
A spokesperson for Historic Royal Palaces, which runs Kensington Palace, said: “From a much-copied tartan and black velvet evening gown designed for an evening of Scottish dancing at Balmoral, to the double-breasted styling of a bottle green silk velvet halterneck worn privately by the princess - and later made famous by Mario Testino’s iconic photographs commissioned to support the sale of her dresses at Christies – the display will explore how Diana’s wardrobe had the power to set trends both at home and abroad, and represented a truly modern royal style.”
Libby Thompson, Historic Royal Palaces curator, said: “Fashion Rules has proved popular with our visitors, and we’re delighted to be able to expand on this theme to celebrate the style evolution of three iconic modern royal women. The new display will delve even deeper into the royal wardrobe, revealing some real surprises that I hope will challenge the way we think of royal style.”
Fashion Rules; Restyled is sponsored by Estée Lauder Companies and opens at the palace Diana once called home on February 11.
