The sweater being auctioned by Sotheby's this week is a symbol of her journey from whimsical, Sloaney ingenue to powerful communicator – and eventual outsider, writes Lindsay Baker.
But was this sartorial choice really an intentional manifestation of the teenage Diana's innermost fears and emotions? Was it a subtle signal – Lady Diana semaphoring to the world a sense of herself as a"black sheep" and an outsider? No, according to author, curator and fashion historian Eleri Lynn, who is also a Trustee at the."We're probably reading more into it in hindsight," Lynn tells BBC Culture.
In 1981 the then Lady Diana Spencer wore a distinctive sheep-themed sweater to a polo match – she was 19 years old the author and designer sings the praises of the 80s Sloane Ranger, as"personified" by Diana, in a chapter titled Tribes of Britannia:"Sloane is the 80s Sloane," Bartley writes."The rigidity of her uniform and the rules by which she lives deserve to be preserved.
The way in which Diana became more and more adept at her messaging through fashion has been well documented. In the exhibition, her journey from ingenue to powerful communicator was explored. Lynn, who curated the exhibition, says that, with the help of couturiers,"a new world opened up for her, where fashion could be a pivotal communicator. And she had a lot of fun with it.
This playfulness and modernity steadily became an integral part of Diana's identity, argues Lynn."You can see it in her choices, and it speaks to something wider, about breaking royal protocol in other ways – when she met with Aids patients, hugged children, and broke with convention. And her fashion reflects that personality.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Peter Andre praises Princess after she asked permission for makeoverPrincess, 16, recently blew fans away with her new look on social media as people say she resembles her mum.
Read more »