You Can Buy Princess Diana's "Black Sheep" Sweater at Sotheby's
Even royals have an emotional support sweater.
Princess Diana has one of the most sought after wardrobes on the planet and now admirers of the late royal will be able to get their hands on her long-lost “Black Sheep” sweater.
Originally worn at one of her then-husband Prince Charles’ polo matches in 1981, the item was seen as a sartorial symbol of her outsider status within the monarchy. Made by Warm & Wonderful, the sweater was taken out of circulation in 1994. According to W Magazine, the Princess was so fond of it that upon finding a tear, her secretary reached out to the brand for a new one. It’s nice to know that we all have emotional support sweaters.
Princess Diana’s was so highly-coveted that it has become a part of London‘s Victoria & Albert Museum’s permanent collection, while the original designers Joanna Osborne and Sally Muir partnered with Rowing Blazers in 2020 for a reissue as part of the brand’s Diana-inspired collection. Naturally, The Crown featured a replica as actor Emma Corin wore a similar version on the drama series.
Until now, the exact sweater Diana owned was thought to be lost, however, Osborne and Muir struck gold. “This past March, as we were rummaging through the attic searching for an old pattern, we spotted a small box,” they said in a statement. “Inside, tucked away beside a cotton bedspread, was Diana’s original red sheep sweater from 1981. Now, almost four decades later, this one-of-a-kind sheep sweater is ready to make its way into the hands of a fortunate collector.”
The iconic item will be up for auction at Sotheby’s upcoming Fashion Icons sale and is expected to go for $50K-$80K USD.The sale is set to take place this September, but online bidding runs from August 31 to September 13.
