Emmanuel Black and White Ball Gown

fits Franklin Mint Diana Portrait Doll

Diana ordered this ball gown specifically for the Wales' Gulf States tour in late 1986. As always, she liked her wardrobe to be appropriate for the occasion, especially abroad, and wanted something regal in black and white to complement the black and white robes of her male hosts (left). It featured the long sleeves and demure neckline required in a Mideastern country, but also had elements of the 'Dynasty' look - big sleeves and huge accent bow - so prevalent at the time. She also wore it in March of 1987 (right)to the premier of '84 Charing Cross Road', accompanying her husband and the Queen Mother.

Diana had been a fan of the Emmanuels ever since she wore one of their creations on her very first photo shoot (even before her engagement was announced, for British Vogue in late 1980), and gave them the coveted commission for not only her wedding gown but several very prominent gowns worn during her engagement. However, for some years after the wedding Diana appeared in relatively few Emmanuel creations, and while it could be reasonable to assume that as Diana matured she would also develop a more mature style than the Emmanuels' aesthetic, rumors arose that the relationship had cooled due to what looked the designers' attempt to cash in on Diana with their hiring of a celebrity agent and the subsequent appearance of a series of licensed products and huge appearance fees. David Emmanuel denied the rift, but for whatever reason this Gulf tour marked a change - while the Emmanuels provided most of the wardrobe (30 outfits - sketches and swatches for them were auctioned in 2018 ), the bulk of the rest came from Catherine Walker. From then on, Walker would become the mainstay of Diana's public look, while she would rarely be seen in any more Emmanuel creations.



This recreation for the Franklin Mint vinyl People’s Princess Doll is in black and white polyester satin, and features a black and white ribbon bow at the hip. The bodice is lined in white to prevent staining, the skirt is unlined. (The skirt is also somewhat fuller than it appears, due to the angle of the photograph). It closes at the front and wrists with snaps. Shown with the Queen Mary tiara, the earrings from the Inspecting the Guard outfit, and Franklin Mint black shoes.

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