Diana once wore it, now it is to come under the hammer: An iconic red sweater with sheeps, which the later Princess of Wales – then known as Lady Diana Spencer – wore for the first time in 1981 can currently be seen at the Sotheby’s auction house in London (up to and including Friday 21 July).
The red sweater with many white and one black sheep is scheduled to be auctioned between August 31 and September 14 at an online auction by Sotheby’s New York office. There, too, it should be open to the public for several days (September 7th to 13th). The garment is estimated to fetch up to $80,000 (currently around €71,000).
The design once sparked speculation that Diana might be trying to convey a hidden message about her own role as an outsider in the British royal family.
In any case, her appearance in the sweater made the previously little-known label “Warm & Wonderful” suddenly famous. The original worn by Diana in 1981 was returned to the manufacturer by Buckingham Palace after a few weeks due to damage, with a request for repair or replacement. Diana then got a new sweater.
The whereabouts of the original garment was unknown for years until it was rediscovered in an attic this year. The sweater still has a touch of Princess Diana’s “grace, charm and her good eye for fashion,” said Cynthia Houlton, who is responsible for fashion and accessories at Sotheby’s, according to a statement from the auction house. (dpa)