She has long been nicknamed "Shy Di" ("Di the shy",
Editor 's note
) as his reserve was his media signature.
But on June 29, 1994, Princess Diana took everyone by surprise.
She arrives radiant at the Serpentine Gallery in London in a dress that defies the conventions of the palace: tight, short, bare shoulders.
The creation is signed Christina Stambouli and caused a sensation in the gardens of Kensington Palace, where Lady Di went alone for a charity dinner.
It must be said that at the same time, she knows that her marriage is officially falling apart.
That evening, Prince Charles is on television confessing his adultery with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Observers will say that with this dress cut to catch the eye, Diana eclipses everything in her path and wins the media episode.
He does
This fashion moment has long fascinated Eloise Moran, a Londoner living in the United States who once worked as an editorial contributor for the label Opening Ceremony.
In 2018, she decided to devote an Instagram account (@ladydirevengeslook) to Lady Di's wardrobe, which illustrates her revenge on her marriage years.
It traces his most flamboyant, most significant, but also the most subtle looks, which delivered a message from the first signs of his relationship with Prince Charles running out of steam.
For Eloise Moran, these outfits are “the symbol of her growing independence”.
With 118,000 subscribers, the account resulted in the publication of a book entitled
The Lady Di Look Book (1),
in June
.
Miss Figaro. – When did Lady Di realize that her clothes could carry messages about her marriage?
Eloise Moran-
By reaching the status of "princess", she understood that the press, the public, everyone scrutinized what she wore.
It was first discussed where her clothes came from in order to copy her style.
But when your public speaking is restricted, which was the case with Lady Di, you quickly understand that clothing is also a communication tool.
And it appeared very early in his marriage.
In 1983, during a polo match, she wore a sheep-patterned sweater, one of which stood out by being black: it was her first strong statement through clothing.
At this time, her relationship with Prince Charles was not easy and she did not feel confident with the royal family.
It is obvious that with this sweater, Lady Di refers to the proverb of the "black sheep",
seeing himself as the "intruder".
This showed his disillusionment with the royal family.
Read alsoLike Lady Diana, Kate Middleton dares the "revenge dress"
Was it easy for her to get her hands on her outfits?
She was very independent when it came to fashion.
In 1981, when she became engaged to Prince Charles, she enlisted the services of Anna Harvey, a stylist who worked at the British edition of
Vogue
.
She met him through her sister, she was like a family friend.
Anna Harvey helped her develop relationships with designers and teamwork was established.
Lady Diana sent sketches and notes directly to stylists.
She knew exactly what she wanted to say, what she wanted to wear and had a natural sense of fashion.
The best "revenge looks" of Lady Diana deciphered by Eloise Moran
In images, in pictures
See the slideshow10 photos
See the slideshow10 photos
How can we describe its stylistic evolution?
In the early 1980s, Diana wore a lot of fairytale outfits, with a first-degree sense of “princess” style.
She had a very traditional and conservative British style.
I don't think she felt comfortable in her body.
She didn't wear ultra-fitted dresses or sexy creations.
Over the years, she began to lift her shoulders and show some skin.
She opened up to a more international and “fashionable” style compared to what the English wore at the time.
She went from 'Shy Diana' to 'Revenge Diana'.
At what point in his life does his wardrobe become a sign of empowerment?
In the 1980s, we read through his clothes a form of disenchantment, like a call for help.
The British imagined that she was living a fairy tale, but she wanted to show them that this was not the case.
While in the following decade, during her divorce years, she set about breaking stereotypes of what a princess and woman should do and wear as part of royal protocol.
It was time for emancipation.
(1) The Lady Di Look Book: What Diana Was Trying to Tell Us Through Her Clothes
, by Eloise Moran (ed. St Martin's Griffin)
