Lady Kitty Spencer recreates aunt Princess Diana's iconic £500k purple dress moment


Model Kitty is the daughter of Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, and she shares a daughter, Athena, with her husband, Michael Lewis


Lady Kitty Spencer attends day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019 in Ascot, England. © Getty Images
Laura Sutcliffe
Laura SutcliffeFashion and Beauty News Editor
1 hour ago
Share this:

Lady Kitty Spencer is currently in Italy to celebrate Dolce & Gabbana's runway show, which was held at the San Domenico convent in Taormina.

The three-day event was a glittering A-list spectacle, with the ever-enchanting Jennifer Lopez in attendance.

View post on Instagram
 

We've seen Lady Kitty, who is the late Princess Diana's eldest niece, looking resplendent in two looks so far, and one is reminiscent of her late aunt's most recognisable styles.

The mother-of-one donned a glorious, deep-purple, bandeau-cut dress, which featured a billowing hem. The wife of businessman Michael Lewis was dripping in diamonds, rocking a statement floral necklace and earrings.

Diana's £500,000 purple dress

Kitty's dress reminded us of an ensemble her late aunt, Princess Diana, famously wore in the early '90s. King Charles' former wife sported a purple velvet evening gown, designed by couturier Victor Edelstein, which featured a sculptural sweetheart neckline and a tulip-shaped skirt.

In 2023, the evening gown was crowned her most valuable dress after it was sold for almost £500,000 at Sotheby's in New York, considerably more than the predicted price of £100,000. 

Diana first wore the dress in 1991 for an official portrait by photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, the first Earl of Snowdon, who was once the husband of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II's sister. 

A mannequin displays a purple velvet evening gown with a strapless, twisted bodice and full skirt, which was worn by Princess Diana
Diana's purple dress sold for almost £500,000 at auction

She then wore it for an iconic 1997 Vanity Fair photoshoot with fashion photographer Mario Testino just months before her death. 

Kitty on Diana

Kitty was just six years old when Diana passed away. Previously speaking to our sister title, HELLO! Fashion, she touched on her late aunt's influence in the fashion industry. "I think she’s iconic, and I suppose it’s such a wonderful thing that her fashion influence is still enduring today. She was a great ambassador for British fashion." H2: Kitty's 'naked' corset

Diana in the Spencer family tiara and her famous diamond and sapphire jewels on a visit to Brisbane, Australia, in 1983© WireImage
Kitty was six when her aunt, Princess Diana died

During the three-day fashion event, Kitty also donned an incredibly dramatic black corset dress, which featured transparent inserts. 

View post on Instagram
 

The striking design had a Carrie Bradshaw-esque tutu attached, and Kitty added canary-yellow diamonds into the mix. 

Kitty's wedding dress

Kitty has a longtime association with the famed Italian fashion label. For her iconic 2021 wedding, Kitty wore multiple bridal gowns, all of which were designed by Dolce & Gabbana, for whom she is a brand ambassador. 

View post on Instagram
 

Her main gown featured long lace sleeves, puff shoulders, and a stunning princess skirt, which the Italian designers described as "traditional".

More Royal Style
See more
Conversation

For more information on our conversation section, please read our Community Guidelines. Comments featured and views shared are not endorsed by HELLO!.