The year was 1989. The Royal Albert Hall buzzed with anticipation, not for a symphony, but for the inaugural British Fashion Awards. A constellation of fashion’s brightest stars, from Vivienne Westwood’s avant-garde creations to Katherine Hamnett’s bold designs, graced the event. But amidst the flurry of innovative styles, one figure commanded unparalleled attention: Diana, Princess of Wales.
Princess Diana, far from aiming to outshine the industry’s most daring designers, understood the assignment. She sought to celebrate British talent and craftsmanship, showcasing the nation’s unique blend of sophistication and playful wit. Her choice? A breathtaking ensemble crafted by the gifted Catherine Walker, a designer who would become instrumental in shaping the Princess’s iconic royal style. Their collaboration began in 1981 during Diana’s pregnancy with Prince William, transforming her image from Sloane Ranger to a globally recognized fashion icon.
Walker’s creation was a masterpiece: a snow-white beaded dress and bolero meticulously embroidered with an astounding 28,600 pearls. But the true showstopper was the crisp, tall collar – a detail that earned the dress its endearing nickname, “the Elvis dress,” coined by Diana herself. Originally envisioned for a state visit to Hong Kong in 1989, the dress was intended to perfectly complement Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara, a piece on long-term loan to Diana since her wedding in 1981.
However, fate, or perhaps a touch of royal spontaneity, intervened. On that momentous October night, amidst the excitement of Workers for Freedom winning the inaugural Designer of the Year Award, the Princess decided to forgo the planned pearl embellishments, opting instead to let the dramatic collar take center stage. The result? An unforgettable image of effortless grace and confidence. Standing amongst fashion luminaries like Zandra Rhodes, Yasmin Le Bon, and Naomi Campbell, Princess Diana’s bridal-white gown, subtly weighted with microscopic pearls, transcended mere fashion; it was a statement of regal elegance.
The impact of Diana’s appearance resonated far beyond that single evening. It would take nearly three decades for another royal to generate a similar level of media frenzy at the Fashion Awards (renamed in 2016, shedding the ‘British’ prefix). In 2018, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, captured headlines, not with a flamboyant outfit, but with her burgeoning pregnancy, subtly highlighted by a chic black Givenchy column dress designed by Clare Waight Keller.
That 1989 event also showcased the influence of the Princess. While the ‘Elvis’ dress might not have garnered the same media attention as her infamous ‘revenge dress’ or the Galliano slip she wore to the Met Gala, it remains a powerful testament to Diana’s ability to champion British design and showcase her unwavering confidence. It solidified her position as one of the world’s most influential style icons, forever shaping the landscape of royal and popular fashion.
