The late great Princess Diana’s wax statue just debuted at the Grevin Museum in Paris, and stunning can’t even begin to describe it. The statue was unveiled on November 20 and it features Lady Diana dressed in her timeless sartorial pick – the iconic ‘revenge dress’ (more on that later). The wax statue has been unveiled almost 28 years after the late Princess died in Paris.
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For those unacquainted with Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ and what makes it an iconic piece of garment, here’s some context – Back in June 1994, Princess Diana attended a gala at the Serpentine Gallery in London dressed in a head-turning off-shoulder, form-fitting black silk dress that she accessorized with a statement pearl choker.
Fashion history was made as this was Princess Diana’s first public appearance after the then-Prince Charles’ (now King Charles )’s big adultery reveal. Diana’s appearance was merely days after Charles had admitted to his infidelity with Camilla Parker Bowles (now Queen Camilla).
Flashbulbs popped at Diana as she accepted the invite and went to the event in that striking dress. The outfit came to be known as the “revenge dress.” The outfit resonates with timeless style vocabulary even today, and since Princess Diana wore it in the 90s, multiple renditions of the iconic “revenge dress” have been recreated.
The Grevin Museum, on their official website, revealed the reason they decided to dress the Princess of Wales in a rendition of her timeless ‘revenge dress’ and explained, “It was bold, elegant, and completely unexpected. That night, the dress became a symbol of confidence and freedom, and it still represents that moment of women’s empowerment today.”
Princess Diana’s iconic ‘revenge’ dress, worn the night Prince Charles publicly admitted to being unfaithful to her [1994] pic.twitter.com/v6LZEEa6yb
— Fascinating (@fasc1nate) April 30, 2024
Meanwhile, the Grevin Museum revealed what went into the making of Princess Diana’s newly-revealed wax statue that has been sculpted by Laurent Mallamaci and wrote, “Many months of research and work were necessary to reproduce her outfit identically and to capture her unique expression as closely as possible.”
In a statement honoring Diana, who was famously called the “People’s Princess,” the Grevin Museum said, “Lady Diana has always held a special place in people’s hearts. Her kindness, her warmth, and the way she connected with others left a mark on the world. Today, Grevin is honoring her legacy by welcoming her statue into the museum.”
The museum in Paris looked back at Diana’s stupendous contribution not just to fashion history, but to other causes, and the society at large as well. “What made Diana truly unforgettable wasn’t just her sense of style; it was the way she cared for others. She helped break the stigma surrounding AIDS and leprosy by meeting and touching patients at a time when many were afraid to. Those simple gestures changed public perception and gave dignity back to people who were often rejected,” read an excerpt from the Grevin Museum’s statement.
Princess Diana married Charles in 1981. The couple were parents to two sons – Prince William and Prince Harry. Diana and Charles often featured in headlines for their strained relationship and a very public divorce. Princess Diana died at the age of 36 in a car chase accident in Paris. Her driver and partner, Dodi Fayed also passed away in the same crash.
