PRINCESS DIANA'S FIRST OFFICIAL DRESS TO BE AUCTIONED

THE BLACK DRESS WORN BY DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, FOR HER FIRST OFFICIAL APPEARANCE WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES SHORTLY BEFORE THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN 1981 WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF THIS SUMMER. IT WAS RUMORED THAT THE PRINCESS HAD DESTROYED THE BLACK TAFFETA GOWN, BUT IT RECENTLY TURNED UP IN A WARDROBE AT THE STUDIO OF DRESS MAKERS DAVID AND ELIZABETH EMANUEL. NOW THE ICONIC DRESS IS SET TO FETCH UP TO £50,000 WHEN IT APPEARS AT KERRY TAYLOR AUCTIONS IN LONDON ON 8.JUNE. THE DRESS CAUSED A SENSATION WHEN LADY DIANA SPENCER BENT DOWN TO CLIMB OUT OF THE CAR. SHE WAS MET WITH A FRENZY OF FLASH BULBS AND THE NEXT DAY'S NEWSPAPERS INCLUDED THE HEADLINE: 'DARING DI SETS FASHION AS SHE TAKES A PLUNGE.' BUT WHILE THE 19 YEAR OLD LADY DIANA THOUGHT THAT BLACK WAS ELEGANT AND GROWN-UP, IT WAS DEEMED AN UNUSUAL CHOICE AS THE ROYAL FAMILY WEAR THE COLOUR ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR MOURNING. THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER, WENT WILD OVER THE DRESS. IN THE RUN-UP TO HER WEDDING, THE NERVOUS FIANCEE LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT THAT SHE RETURNED THE GOWN TO THE EMANUELS TO HAVE IT TAKEN IN. THE ALTERATIONS REQUIRED WERE SO DRASTIC THAT THEY DECIDED IT WOULD BE EASIER TO RE-MAKE A SMALLER VERSION FOR HER. THEY KEPT THE ORIGINAL AND FORGOT ABOUT IT, ONLY RE-DISCOVERING IT QUITE RECENTLY. THE STUNNING GOWN FORMS PART OF THE EMANUEL ARCHIVE OF PRINCESS DIANA RELATED MATERIAL COMPRISING 30 LOTS RANGING FROM ACTUAL CLOTHES WORN BY THE PRINCESS TO FASHION SKETCHES, INVOICES, LETTERS AND RELATED EPHEMERA AND EXPECTED TO FETCH A TOTAL OF UP TO £175, 000. IT CHARTS THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRINCESS FROM A YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED TEENAGER INTO A WORLD RENOWNED STYLE ICON.