This is the usual story of a flop that ended well for the auction house Kerry Taylor, which attempted to draw audiences by offering the iconic blue velvet dress that Princess Diana wore at a ball at the White House in 1985. The dress, designed by Victor Edelstein, was tailor-made for the princess in her favorite color. Invited by President Reagan, the Princess of Wales ignited the dance floor alongside John Travolta to the Bee Gee’s ‘You Should Be Dancing’ from Saturday Night Fever.
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Offered for sale with an estimate between $320,000-450,000, the dress, against all expectations, did not reach its reserve price and remained unsold on the auction floor. Kerry Taylor auction house has since confided to have been very surprised that the mythical clothing did not seduce buyers.
But never mind, since the British royal family itself since decided to purchase the dress. Historic Royal Palaces (a charity that manages several royal palaces, Ed.) acquired it for $290,000.
Rebecca English, Crown correspondent for the Daily Mail, said on Twitter: “Lovely news - @HRP_palaces have bought Princess Diana’s iconic Victor Edelstein ‘Travolta’ dress for £220k after it failed to sell at auction. The team snapped it up afterwards. The princess famously wore it to a 1985 state dinner at the White House thrown by President Reagan”.
English said in another tweet: “Curator Eleri Lynn says they are delighted [by the acquisition]. You can really see the exquisite detail of the fabric…”
The auction house, meanwhile, is thrilled. They said on Instagram: “We are delighted to announce that this important gown was sold post-sale to a British Institution, and will remain in the country of which she was ‘Queen of Hearts’...”
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