Sotheby's Is Auctioning Princess Diana's Iconic Black Sheep Sweater
Image: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images
Princess Diana left behind a style legacy of iconic looks that fashionistas are still copying today. Now, one of her most iconic pieces is heading to the auction block for the first time in September as part of Sotheby’s “Fashion Icons” auction.
The famous “black sheep” sweater was first worn pubclicly by the late Lady Diana Spencer at a polo match in 1981 when she was engaged to the now King Charles III. She wore it again in 1983, when she attended another polo match with Sarah Ferguson. Artists Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, and their knitwear label, Warm & Wonderful created the red, knitted wool crew neck in 1979, which is adorned with rows of white sheep and one black sheep on the front.
Image: Princess Diana Archives/Getty Images
A few weeks after photographs of Diana in the sweater went viral, Muir and Osboune received a letter from Buckingham Palace on behalf of the late Princess of Wales. It explained that the sweater had been damaged and asked if it could be repaired. After examining the garment, the two knitted the Princess a new sweater and stored the original in the attic where it lay there forgotten for decades.
The sweater became so iconic a replica belongs to the permanent collection of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, but the location of the original sweater Princess Diana wore was a mystery until Muir and Osborne found it in their attic.
“This past March, as we were rummaging through the attic searching for an old pattern, we spotted a small box,” they said in a statement. “Inside, tucked away beside a cotton bedspread, was Diana’s original red sheep sweater from 1981. Now, almost four decades later, this one-of-a-kind sheep sweater is ready to make its way into the hands of a fortunate collector.”
Over the years, the sweater has gone on to have a life of it’s own. Warm and Wonderful reproduced the design in 2020 in a capsule collaboration with Rowing Blazers. You can still shop the collection online. That same year, Emma Corrin wore a replica of it in season four of “The Crown”.
Image: Sotheby’s
The sweater is estimated to sell from $50,000 to $80,000 dollars when it goes on the auction block in September. “By combining high-end designer pieces with more attainable everyday apparel, Diana’s style led to a wave of imitation and admiration—which remains steadfast to this day—leaving an indelible mark on the fashion world and solidifying the princess as an icon in fashion history,” says Cynthia Houlton, Southeby’s global head of fashion and accessories. “This exceptional garment, meticulously preserved, carries the whispers of Princess Diana's grace, charm, and her keen eye for fashion.”
Online bidding for the sweater will open from August 31 to September 13 during New York Fashion Week, and it will be on display starting September 7.
Marena Bronson is an award-winning journalist, a life-long nerd, and the Editor-in-Chief of Fashion and Fandom. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.