People may think the term ‘Revenge dress’ originated from Taylor Swift’s song “Lately she’s been dressing for revenge”, however, decades earlier, Princess Diana coined the phrase “revenge dress” in 1994 with one eye-catching outfit. The iconic appearance is being replicated for season 5 of The Crown, which has already been teased. But how did the historical fashion event actually occur?
At the age of 33, the late Princess of Wales publicly separated from her husband, Prince Charles. The couple had separated in 1992, but it was two years later when the next in line to the British throne gave an ITN interview with Jonathan Dimbleby in which he confessed to not being faithful to her during their marriage.
Dimbleby asked if Charles tried to be faithful to Diana when they wed and he replied, “Yes, absolutely,” following that response up with, “until it became irretrievably broken down.”
The moment marked the first time any royal had confessed to infidelity, and put his then-lover Camilla Parker-Bowles into the spotlight.
Diana stepped out for a gala at the Serpentine Gallery in London on the day his explosive interview was broadcast to viewers throughout the country, sporting one of her most iconic outfits to date.
The royal’s off-the-shoulder black Christina Stambolian minidress, which featured a sweetheart neckline and highlighted her hourglass form and gorgeous legs, was quickly called the “revenge dress.”
The actress Elizabeth Debicki, who replaced Emma Corrin as Diana in the Netflix series, has already been spotted sporting the famous look in the season 5 trailer.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl previously told ET that the revenge dress look was “one of the most striking moments” from the trailer.
Calling the revenge dress “one of the most famous and iconic dresses that [Diana] ever wore,” Nicholl noted that Diana had the look “commissioned specifically by the designer” and “had been saving” it for the right moment to “bring it out and to show Charles exactly what he was missing.”
“Diana was a stunning fashion icon. She frequently wore pretty revealing, risky clothes with high hemlines, but this outfit was on another level “Nicoll said “It gained enormous fame. The so-called “revenge dress” had a significant impact. This dress, in particular, could deliver a punch if a dress could.”
Diana wasn’t even intended to wear the outfit that evening, claimed designer Stambolian. She had planned to dress in a Valentino piece. Princess Diana, however, “quickly changed her mind and opted to wear one of her most essential dresses,” according to Stambolian, when the fashion house prematurely issued an unapproved press statement about the dress.
The Crown season 5 premieres on Nov. 9 on Netflix.
