Princess Diana’s iconic ‘Black Sheep’ sweater sold for over a million dollars

Iconic red and white sweater Diana of Wales It was sold for $1,143,000 at the Sotheby’s auction house in New York, after two weeks of online bidding. making it the most expensive item of clothing owned by the late princess to be sold at auction.

There were a total of 44 bids in 15 minutes for the famous garment, ultimately driving the sale to a whopping 14 times the asking price of $80,000.

Diana first wore a wool sweater, with a black and white sheep motif, to a polo match for her fiancé, the then Prince of Wales, in June 1981.

It was one of the first pieces designed by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne for their knitwear brand Warm & Wonderful, and the release helped bring their brand to the public’s attention.

This piece of clothing worn by the Princess of Wales also broke the world record for the most expensive sweater ever sold at auction. Along with the sweater are two letters sent between the brand and Buckingham Palace.

According to Sotheby’s, Diana damaged the sleeve of the dress, possibly by hooking it to an engagement ring, so Buckingham Palace wrote to Warm & Wonderful asking for repairs.

They decided it would be best to replace him.

According to Sotheby’s Cynthia Houlton: “She was sent a new one in 1981 and then photographed again in 1983 wearing the spare sweater at another polo match. “This sweater…considering the fact that she wore it multiple times in very public places…speaks volumes about how important the sweater was to her.”

After Diana replaced it, the original sweater was lost.

That was until Joanna Osborne found it in her attic earlier this year, hidden in a small box next to a cotton duvet. He described it as “one of the most iconic pieces Princess Diana has ever been photographed in,” adding that the piece had never been on the market before. (AND)