Before Kate Middleton’s lace Alexander McQueen number and Meghan's gorgeous Givenchygown, there was Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress. Even now, over thirty years since she stepped out from her carriage and into the glare of the spotlight, it is a breathtaking piece of fashion history.
Designed by husband and wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the ivory silk taffeta and antique lace creation boasted a 25-foot train, and set the tone for bridal fashion over the next twenty years: Lady Di is most likely the reason why your mum and aunties opted for frilly, leg-of-mutton sleeves and a ruffled collar on their wedding days (and still recommend that you do the same…)
The design of Diana’s dress was a fiercely guarded secret, but 35 years after her wedding to Prince Charles, David revealed what it took to bring the dress to life.
David and his now ex-wife Elizabeth had worked with Diana before she was linked to Prince Charles, but the Emanuels were still seen by the press as an outside choice when it came to designing her wedding dress. ‘Later, there were double-page spreads in newspapers and magazines speculating as to who would be the designer of her wedding gown. My ex-wife and I were ranked outsiders,’ he said.
Diana Throwbacks At Wimbledon - Grazia
1 of 121981
Peak Sloane Ranger: a puff-sleeved floral wrap dress worn over a white high collar blouse, worn with the most famous engagement ring in the world.
2 of 121984
The Princess tended towards looser shapes for her maternity wardrobe, much like this striped shift dress, worn while expecting Prince Harry.
3 of 121986
Lose the belt, shift the neckline a little and this blue and white striped dress could be new season Ganni...
4 of 121987
Proof that a white suit will always be a sartorial power move...
5 of 121987
A summery Peter Pan collar and swirling floral print (complete with obligatory blue eyeliner...)
6 of 121987
With a few tweaks (a more exaggerated wrap front, ditching the bow and the lace inset) this floral style wouldn't be too far from 2018's ubiquitous day dress.
7 of 121990
More Wimbledon whites for Diana, pictured here greeting her sister-in-law Sarah Ferguson.
8 of 121991
Another ditsy print, this time in regal purple, for a day out with Prince William.
9 of 121991
The Kate - Diana comparison is one that gets a little too much airtime, but we could actually see the Duchess wearing this delicately printed, tiered style.
10 of 121994
Fact: Princess Diana kickstarted the blazer dress trend. Bonus points for Prince William's cartoon chic tie.
11 of 121994
This button-down sleeveless shift in the brightest of reds was a favourite outfit, one which the Princess re-wore for a number of more casual royal occasions.
12 of 121995
Loved Virgil Abloh's homage to Diana's pastel suits in his OFF/WHITE collection last season? This is the real deal.
Diana arrived alone for her first few fittings, before asking whether her mother could attend in the final stages, to which David’s answer was naturally, ‘yes, of course.’
Such was the secrecy surrounding the dress that David’s sketches had to be destroyed. ‘I showed her a sketch and ripped the sketch up because we didn’t want it floating around,’ Emanuel revealed to the Express.
‘She was simply young and fresh. I wanted the dress to reflect that but she was going in as Lady Diana Spencer and coming out as the Princess of Wales. St Paul’s Cathedral was very grand. If you did a subtle little number it’s not going to work to an audience of seven hundred million people!’ he added.
‘I was just leaving my studio at six o’clock that evening and she rang me and said it was “fabulous”. Job done. As long as she was happy, I was happy. It was a pleasure to do.’
The dress, which was famously hand-embroidered with around 10,000 pearls, was inherited by Diana’s sons Prince William and Prince Harry on Harry’s 30th birthday in September 2014.
READ MORE: Why Did Princess Diana Call Her Handbags 'Cleavage Clutches'?