Creating outfits for Princess Diana will forever be a surreal experience for Jacques Azagury.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was known for her pioneering fashion sense, solidifying her status as one of Britain’s most iconic fashion figures.

Whether it was her short, feathered golden locks, her daring “revenge dress”, or her more understated off-duty looks, consisting of baggy varsity jumpers and lycra shorts, the peoples’ princess pushed the boundaries of sartorial expression while in and out of the royal family.

One particular evening dress, designed by Jacques Azagury, caught attention for its romantic and ballerina-like style. It was embroidered with purple stars and made fashion history when it was sold for $1,143,000 (or approximately £900,049) at a Hollywood auction on December 17th.

In 1985, Diana encountered her acquaintance, Azagury, who worked as a fashion designer. This was four years after she got married to Charles. At the time, she was 24 years old and was getting used to her role as a prominent member of the royal family. Meanwhile, Azagury, who was born in Morocco, had recently sold his debut collection to the well-known London establishment, Brown. He was already being praised by magazine editors as the most promising and thrilling talent in the fashion industry.

In an interview with The Independent, Azagury recounts his initial encounter with the princess at the London Design Trade Show. He was taken aback when Vogue editor Anna Harvey introduced her to him at his stand. “I remember turning around and seeing her there, which completely caught me off guard,” he reminisces. “I was quite young at the time and it was a mix of excitement and emotions all at once.”

Reflecting on our initial encounter, which blossomed into a lasting camaraderie, he shares that Diana possessed a remarkable talent for making one feel instantly at ease.

After three weeks, Princess Diana was at Azagury’s store in London’s Knightsbridge and purchased a gown. She wore the gown for the first time during a royal visit to Italy in April 1985. This dress has now become the most expensive piece of clothing owned by Diana, as it was sold at an auction for a price 11 times higher than the initial estimate.

According to Azagury, he was extremely pleased upon receiving the news. He believes that the garment is iconic and should be recognized as a valuable work of art, as it reflects the time and era in which it was created.

Due to this, he declines to disclose the initial cost, despite admitting that the dress was purchased off the rack and altered for Diana.

The dress, designed in a classic 1980s style, has a flawlessly fitted black bodice adorned with embroidered blue stars made from metallic thread by Swiss textile expert Jakob Schlaepfer. It boasts a drop-waist and oversized square shoulder pads, characteristic of the era, as well as a playful two-tier royal blue organza skirt with a sash and bow.

According to Azagury, the dress holds significance beyond just a fashion item. “And, as we all know, it was worn by Princess Diana.”

Diana debuted the dress at a dinner held by the Mayor of Florence during her and then-husband Charles’ 17-day trip to Italy.

In May 1986, she was seen wearing the dress again while attending a Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performance at the Orpheum Theatre in Canada.

The dress that was the starting point of Azagury’s friendship with Diana for over a decade, until her untimely passing in 1997, also signaled the start of her style transformation.

“Prior to this, she remained limited to the ‘Sloane Ranger’ aesthetic, characterized by frilly collars, loose blouses, and wearing a sweater over the shoulders. This style was popular among a certain type of woman in the Knightsbridge and Sloane areas, but did not translate well on a global scale,” Azagury clarifies.

The attire, in shades of blue and black, was inspired by a starry sky. It was created with the intention of streamlining her appearance, focusing on her figure and the way she carries the dress, rather than adding unnecessary details. The designer explains, “This wasn’t my usual style, but I believe that’s why Diana chose me.”

Azagury is credited with creating some of Diana’s most iconic looks, especially during – and after – her contentious split and divorce from Charles in 1996.

These include a collection of five dresses custom-made for Diana, as she embraced a more glamorous style – free from the confines of royal protocol.

These items, known as “the Famous Five”, consist of the black halterneck dress that Diana wore to a London gala in November 1995. This was also the same night that her explosive BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir was broadcast.

Diana also wore an ice-blue mini dress at her final public appearance before her death. It was at the Royal Gala performance of Swan Lake in 1997 at the Royal Albert Hall. She also received a delicate black chantilly lace gown from Azagury for her 36th birthday.

The designer made two versions of each of these five clothing items, with the intention of auctioning them off earlier this month. The dresses had been kept hidden until recently, only being shown to friends by Azagury.

“I left my job about five or six weeks ago…I didn’t want the narrative to end there, I hoped for her impact to be continued [and considered] that to be an excellent way of achieving it.”

Azagury stated that before the items were put up for auction, he arranged for a private sale of the entire collection. This sale included sketches and handwritten notes from Diana, and it was sold to the Princess Diana Museum in Los Angeles for an undisclosed amount in the six figures.

“I desired for everything to remain together instead of having individual letters, cards, and dresses scattered. This is the main reason I chose to sell them to [the museum] instead of going through an auction, even though it would have likely fetched a higher price. My priority was to preserve the collection as a whole.”

Diana sent a message to Azagury thanking him for the 36th birthday dress. She expressed her excitement upon receiving the package and her appreciation for the beautiful dress as a gift.

“I am incredibly grateful for making this day extra special. Sending lots of love from Diana.”

Azagury recalls that it has been almost four decades since he first met Diana at a trade show in London, and he still considers the chance to dress her as a surreal experience.

“When I reflect on it now, the entire experience feels incredibly surreal. It’s hard to believe that I had the opportunity to dress Princess Diana and even visit the palace to meet her.”

Source: independent.co.uk