Jumper Fit for a Princess: The back story behind Diana’s famous black sheep sweater, which is up for auction

Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident on 31 August 1997, almost 26 years ago. However, she continues to remain a fashion and cultural icon, with several royal enthusiasts willing to pay exorbitant amounts to own a piece from her wardrobe. Come 13-14 September, noted auction house, Sotheby’s, will give fans a chance to own a piece of history, as a sweater once worn by the former Princess of Wales will come up on the bidding block as part of their online Fashion Icons sale. And this sweater has an expensive price tag – Sotheby’s estimates that it will be listed between $50,000 (Rs 41 lakh) and $80,000 (Rs 65.63 lakh). We take a closer look at what is the big deal about this piece of clothing and why people continue to shell out huge amounts of money on Diana’s memorabilia. A woolly good jumper The sweater being auctioned has a rather interesting history and is considered as a part of fashion history. The red sweater, featuring a lone black sheep among rows of white sheep, is popularly called the ‘Black Sheep sweater’ and was designed by knitwear label Warm & Wonderful. Diana was first spotted wearing the sweater at one of King Charles’ summer polo matches, just months after they became engaged – around June 1981 when she was just 19 years of age. [caption id=“attachment_12881992” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Princess Diana in the whimsical ‘black sheep’ sweater. She was first photographed in this in 1981 at one of King Charles’ summer polo matches, just months after they became engaged. Image Courtesy: Sotheby’s[/caption] Some have speculated Diana liked the “black sheep” pattern because she felt like an outsider in the royal family and the attire reflected her feelings then. According to reports, she was very fond of the garment and wore it on numerous occasions, making it quite recognisable. She loved it so much that when she damaged the cuff, she sent the garment back to Warm & Wonderful and in a letter also requested them for a repair or replacement. It was then that Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne — the garment’s designers and the founders of its fashion brand Warm & Wonderful – knitted her a new one and later received a thank-you letter from Diana’s secretary, Oliver Everett. The second time she wore it, she paired it with oversized sunglasses, a white blouse and white pants for the second spin The original stayed with Muir and Osborne, who found it in March while they were “rummaging through the attic searching for an old pattern”.

Interestingly, the designers discontinued the sweater design in 1994 and it was only in 2020 through a collaboration with American designer Jack Carlson and his brand Rowing Blazers that the design was revived, albeit in cotton. Cynthia Houlton, Sotheby’s global head of fashion and accessories, has been quoted as saying that this piece of garment is especially important, as that the item has never come to market. “They very randomly came across this sweater, it’s not like they were sitting on this sweater for some period of time and then decided who they should sell it to,” she told People magazine of Muir and Osborne. The expert explained that the original knit’s significance is further elevated by the fact that Princess Diana wore the design twice. **Also read: How Princess Diana's legacy lives on through her jewellery** For the Love of Diana This isn’t the first time that Princess Diana’s garments are being sold off. Since her tragic demise, several items – ranging from her clothes to her jewellery – have been put up for auction and earned eye-popping bids. In January, reality start-turned entrepreneur Kim Kardashian dropped $197,453 (Rs 1.61 crore) on a diamond and amethyst Garrard cross pendant which Diana wore in 1987. Two weeks later, Diana’s aubergine evening gown by Victor Edelstein sold for $604,800 (Rs 4.96 crore) — five times the pre-estimate — and made fashion history as her most expensive dress ever sold. Diana notably wore the opulent gown for a royal portrait lensed by Lord Snowdon — Princess Margaret’s then husband — in 1991. In 2019, Diana’s black, off-the-shoulder gown which she wore while dancing with John Travolta at the White House in 1985 sold for an eye-watering $347,000 (Rs 2.84 crore). [caption id=“attachment_12882072” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Princess Diana in a Victor Edelstein gown as she dances at a White House dinner with actor John Travolta. The ink-blue Edelstein gown sold for thousands of dollars. File image/Reuters[/caption] Another garment of hers that was sold in 2019 was her favourite ‘Fly Virgin Atlantic’ jumper, which was a gift from the head of the airline, Sir Richard Branson. It sold for more than $50,000. The sweater became a huge a point of frustration for photographers who struggled to find interest in their photos because they all looked the same. This became one of Diana’s ways to challenge photographers and prevent them from getting a fresh shot of her. In July 1997, Princess Diana’s iconic ‘Revenge Dress’ sold for $74,000 (Rs 60 lakh). The black, off-shoulder dress is iconic as she wore it on the day her husband, now King Charles III, admitted on the air that he had been unfaithful to her. [caption id=“attachment_12882142” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Princess of Wales meets invited guests at the Serpentine gallery in Hyde Park in this stunning black, off-shoulder dress. This dress is perhaps Princess Diana’s most iconic garment. File image/Reuters[/caption] Apart from her clothes and jewellery, several letters that Diana penned through her life and even her cars have been auctioned, raising thousands of dollars. But why do people insist on buying her memorabilia? Sotheby’s global head of fashion and accessories Cynthia Houlton says, “From her early years as a shy and reserved royal to her later years as a confident and independent woman, Princess Diana’s fashion choices broke the mould by reflecting the changing social climate and embracing evolving perceptions of femininity.” “By combining high-end designer pieces with more attainable everyday apparel, Diana’s style led to a wave of imitation and admiration – which remains steadfast to this day – leaving an indelible mark on the fashion world and solidifying the Princess as an icon in fashion history.” One can’t argue with the fact that Princess Diana used fashion to champion the causes she cared about and changed how we look at fashion and clothes even today. With inputs from agencies