An iconic piece of royal fashion history is set to hit the auction block - Princess Diana's infamous red jumper featuring a singular black sheep, a garment that has been stashed away for the past four decades.
On Monday, auction house Sotheby's announced that the sweater, symbolizing a cheeky nonconformity, is scheduled to be featured in their "Fashion Icons" auction this August. The event coincides with New York Fashion Week. The bidding range for the piece is projected to be between $50,000 and $80,000.
From August 31 to September 14, online bids for the jumper will be open through Sotheby's. The famed auction house will also showcase the garment for public viewing at its Manhattan office, commencing September 7.
Sotheby's has assured that the piece is in pristine condition, diligently preserved over the years. Sotheby's Global Head of Fashion and Accessories, Cynthia Houlton, indicated to People that the jumper might achieve a price tag akin to, or even surpassing, Princess Diana's Virgin Atlantic sweatshirt, sold for $53,533 by RR Auction in 2019. This red sweater garners heightened interest as it has never previously entered the marketplace.
The designers behind the quirky garment, Sally Muir and Joanna Osbourne of Warm & Wonderful, had misplaced the sweater until a recent discovery. Princess Diana, then just 19 years old, first donned the eye-catching jumper at Prince Charles' polo match in June 1981, a mere month before their royal wedding.
Osbourne stumbled upon the garment during an attic search, "I was looking for a pattern, and I noticed this old wine box in a corner - there lay a red sheep jumper, wrapped in a cotton bedspread. It was well preserved, I was struck with déjà vu and thought, 'Could this be the one?'" Osbourne recounted to the publication.
The moment of recognition came when she inspected the cuff which had been noticeably resewn, and excitedly declared to Muir, "I think I've found the actual real Diana jumper!"
Despite wearing the design twice, the original was safely stored away. Princess Diana wore the replacement to another of Prince Charles' polo matches in 1983. The sweater was styled over a white blouse, accompanied by white pants and oversized sunglasses.
Houlton noted that the repeated wear of the design indicated Diana's affinity for it, and the fact that she wore it to high-profile events still fuels speculation today. Muir hypothesized that Diana's second wearing of the black sheep sweater may have marked the "start of her breaking free and choosing her own pieces." Meanwhile, Osbourne suggested that while Diana may have worn it initially for amusement, the second time she donned it more confidently, appearing "much more in control."
