Lot 70
Catherine Walker Beaded Chiffon Gown

fits Franklin Mint Diana Portrait Doll

Catherine Walker loved pearls on her gowns, feeling that their luster enhanced the typical English complexion. A rather extravagant example was this blue-grey chiffon gown, with its bodice richly embroidered in bands of pearls, glass beads and paste. Diana wore to a dinner in 1992 at her family's one-time London home, Spencer House, in aid of the London City Ballet, of which she was patron.(Left) She attended a similar dinner a year later, at the Banqueting House for the British Lung Foundation, of which she was also patron.(Right)

When Diana auctioned 79 of her gowns for charity in 1997, this was Lot 70, described as "an embroidered evening dress of pale blue-grey chiffon", and fetched $36,800. It was purchased by Frans Billen, a Belgian collector of celebrity and movie star memorabilia, reportedly because he had met Diana at one of the occasions when she wore it. It was displayed on a life-size wax mannequin of Diana in a display case, where it faded badly from light exposure to a dull grey color. After an apparent unsuccessful attempt to sell it on e-Bay in late 2007, it was resold in 2012 at Julien's Hollywood Legends auction in Los Angeles for $108,000 (The Diana mannequin was also auctioned at the same time, going for $640!).



This recreation for the Franklin Mint vinyl People’s Princess Doll is based on a repurposed Franklin Mint 'Princess of Elegance' blue chiffon gown. It has a full skirt, ruched midsection, and a sleeveless high neck bodice hand beaded in rows of faux pearls and glass rocaille beads. The bodice is lined in white, and the gown closes in the back with snaps and hooks and eyes. Includes silver lame clutch bag. Shown with the earrings from the Franklin Mint Princess of Grandeur doll. Shoes by SnE.

If interested, please e-mail. Thanks for looking!


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