WORDS BY ALEXANDRA RHODES
Twenty years on and Princess Diana’s style has never been more relevant. Her most on-point looks – voluminous eighties sleeves at the polo; leaving the gym in cycling shorts; double denim on a ski trip to Austria - are the inspiration behind Off-White’s SS18 show. But fashion wunderkind Virgil Abloh isn’t the only one with a style crush on the late princess. Diana’s style is also the subject of the exhibition Diana: Her Fashion Story, which is on at London’s Kensington Palace until 28th February. While you busy yourself booking tickets, we’re breaking down this season’s most Diana-worthy pieces below…
The Pie Crust Collar
Princess Di wouldn't be the style icon she is today without the help of a pie crust collar. She wore this prim classic on repeat during the early days of her public life, layered under printed dresses or bright knits. Since then they’ve popped up in a number of shows, from Gucci to Isabel Marant.
Shop the look: Isabel Marant Étoile Blouse
The Pink Skirt Suit
Smart, sophisticated and a little bit shishi, a pastel skirt suit is quintessential Diana. It doesn’t hurt that this pink two-piece from Chanel is fashion’s equivalent of the holy grail. Style with a plain white tee for a modern take.
Shop the look: Chanel Vintage Suit
The Bomber
Fashion fact! Off-White’s green varsity bomber was inspired by the (recent Super Bowl-winning) Philadelphia Eagles jacket made especially for Di after she told team statistician Jack Edelstein that she liked their team colours. Talk about friends in high places…
Shop the look: Off-White Bomber Jacket
The Lady Dior
Originally known as the ‘Chouchou’, this quilted box bag was rechristened the Lady Dior as a tribute to the late Princess. The bag went on heavy rotation in her wardrobe following a trip to Paris where she was gifted it by France's First Lady at the time, Bernadette Chirac.
Shop the look: Dior Vintage Bag
The Off-the-shoulder Dress
Whether it’s the navy-blue number she wore to dance with John Travolta in (which you can see in all its glory in Diana: Her Fashion Story) or the famous 'revenge' dress, the Queen of Hearts loved to wear a statement-making off-the-shoulder gown. This Romona Keveza piece is sure to turn a few heads.
Shop the look: Romona Keveza Gown
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