This dress was truly fit for a princess.
A garment worn by the late Princess Diana was sold during the Unstoppable: Signature Styles of Iconic Women in Fashion event by Julien's Auction on Jan. 18.
And while it was estimated that the piece—a black, silk velvet cocktail dress by late designer Catherine Walker that the royal had donned to a private event—would sell between $100,000 and $200,000, it exceeded this expectation with the winning bid coming in at $325,000.
And you'll bow down to all the details.
"The dress features clean lines and an off-the-shoulder neckline, a princess-seamed bodice with a boned interior bustier, and a knee-length hem," a description of the dress featured on Julien's website states. "The bias-cut ivory satin accents are sewn at the neckline, cuffs, and hem. The dress is lined with black silk and is designed always to look flawless when worn by Diana."
Giving a nautical nod, it continued, the satin trim on the dress mirrored a "rolled rope border."
Princess Diana wore several looks from Catherine Walker & Co. over the years.
"The first time we met Princess Diana was in February 1982," the company's cofounder and Head of Design Said Cyrus, who was married to Catherine, recalled to the Evening Standard in 2018. "She was a delight to work with. She was very polite, very humble. She was never late for an appointment. She was, in every way, the most perfect client."
And as Princess Diana's life evolved amid her marriage to and subsequent divorce from King Charles III, her style did, too.
"During the 16 years that we knew Princess Diana her style changed according to the work she did," Said told the outlet. "In the beginning she dressed as an ambassador to the United Kingdom, towards the end of her life she'd carved out a respected role on the international stage through her humanitarian work, and of course she dressed accordingly."
To look back at more of Princess Diana's looks over the years, keep reading.
Off-the-Shoulder
Princess Diana wore a range of styles during her lifetime. And when it came to gowns specifically, she played with different necklines and cuts, including off-the-shoulder.
Consider the chiffon David Sassoon gown she picked for a trip to London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 1981, which featured a pink and blue pattern, sparkly embellishments and ribbon detailing. To complete her look, she accessorized with a pearl choker, matching bracelet, diamond drop earrings and a clutch purse.
The princess also wore a lavender off-the-shoulder gown with bow detailing by Donald Campbell while attending the ballet in Auckland, New Zealand, with her then-husband King Charles (formerly Prince Charles) in 1983. For her jewelry, she opted for the Prince of Wales Feathers necklace and pearl drop earrings.
And of course, fans can't forget about her famous "revenge dress," which was designed by Christina Stambolian and Diana wore to a Vanity Fair party at London's Serpentine Gallery in 1994. She donned the dress on the same night ITN's interview with her estranged husband Charles aired and he admitted he was faithful to Diana in their marriage "until it became irretrievably broken down."
Another famous example? The midnight blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown Diana wore to the White House nearly a decade before in 1985, where she shared a dance with John Travolta (leading to the dress being dubbed the "Travolta dress").
Pop of Pink
When it came to her wardrobe, Diana also sported a rainbow of colors. Among her often-wore hues? Pink. During a 1985 visit to Sicily, for instance, Diana wore a pink Catherine Walker dress featuring voluminous sleeves and a pleated skirt. To finish the ensemble, she added a matching hat by milliner John Boyd, a white clutch and pearls.
Diana suited up in a similar hue, this time a Versace number, during a 1995 trip to Argentina—adding gold knot earrings, a black bag and matching heels.
Chokers
Diana also rocked bold accessories, including choker necklaces. Like this sparkly one she wore to complement her purple Versace dress for a gala dinner at Chicago's Field Museum in 1996.
Similarly, Diana wore a pearl choker necklace while visiting a Commonwealth War Graves ceremony in Anzio on her 1985 Royal Tour of Italy with Charles. The statement piece matched her pearl earrings. However, these weren't her only accessories. Diana also donned a red and white hat, which coordinated with her red striped Catherine Walker dress, and a gold watch.
Color Blocking
You'll want to bow down to her use of color blocking, too. Take, for instance, the blue and white seen in Diana's Catherine Walker suit and Philip Somerville hat during her visit to Dubai in 1989.
Or her use of pink and red in her suit and hat by the designers during the same visit.
Puffed Sleeves
While there are several examples of Diana wearing puffed sleeves (a popular style in the '80s), perhaps the most famous is the dress she wore for her wedding to Charles in 1981. Designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the gown also featured a scooped neckline adorned with ruffles and bows, bodice overlaid with lace, full skirt and 25-foot train.
Diana and Charles split in 1992 before finalizing their divorce four years later.
One-Shoulder
Another style Diana occasionally sported was the one-shoulder gown. In 1985, she wore a white, crystal-beaded silk chiffon dress by Hachi for a visit to the National Gallery in Washington D.C.
There was also the blue asymmetrical dress by Bruce Oldfield featuring ruffles and a circular pattern that she wore to a fashion show benefitting Birthright, an organization of which she was patron. Diana added her signature pearl choker necklace, matching bracelet, earrings and a clutch.
Jacket Draping
When it came to outerwear, Diana would also sport a variety of options—including varsity jackets, wool coats and puffers. And sometimes, she would simply drape her jackets over her shoulders—as she did with her white coat, using it to top the floral Donald Campbell dress that she wore to the airport in Hampshire at the start of her 1981 honeymoon with Charles.
Along the same lines, Diana threw a black blazer over the shoulders of her matching dress for a trip to the Alfred Dunhill shop in London in 1994. She finished the look with pearls, a dainty bracelet and black purse with gold chain.
Corset Belts
Big bold belts were popular in the '80s, and Diana appeared to be a fan of the trend. She wore a turquoise one that divided her patterned blouse from her white pencil skirt during her visit to Bangkok, Thailand, in 1988.
The princess also paired a silver belt with the blue, ruffle-sleeved Bruce Oldfield dress she wore to a state dinner in New Brunswick during her 1983 Royal Tour of Canada. The belt matched her silver clutch, and there was plenty of sparkle thanks to her Spencer tiara and drop earrings.
Backward Necklaces
Who said there's only one way to wear a necklace? Diana displayed her pearls by stringing them backward over her backless, burgundy velvet Catherine Walker dress for the London premiere of Back to the Future in 1985.
Tuxedo Dresses
The royal also had an array of stunning suits in her wardrobe. Take this pinstriped look she wore to a 1996 Christmas event for the nonprofit Centrepoint in London.
Diana also wore a white Catherine Walker coat dress and matching Graham Smith hat during her visit to the Isle of Wight in 1985.
Overalls
Even when going with a more casual ensemble, Prince William and Prince Harry's mother kept it stylish. Like when she rocked denim overalls over a classic white T-shirt at a 1987 polo match with her eldest in Windsor.
And in 1981, she rocked a yellow pair of overalls with a bright floral top during a walk with Sarah Ferguson at Cowdray Park Polo Club in Gloucestershire.
Comfy and Chic
Yes, princesses love a good sweatshirt too—as Diana proved while leaving her London health club in her Fly Virgin Atlantic crewneck, orange bike shorts and black and white sneakers in 1995. Her controversial BBC Panorama interview would air that evening.
Diana even used her fashion to support the causes close to her heart. Take, for instance, how she wore a sweatshirt featuring the logo of the British Lung Foundation, of which she was patron, to the Guards Polo Club in Windsor in 1988, pairing it with a black blazer and blue jeans and accessorizing with a baseball cap, hoop earrings and brown boots.
Diana also displayed her effortlessly cool style while leaving her London gym in a Harvard sweatshirt, black Nike bike shorts and sneakers in August 1997. The princess, who was often hounded by paparazzi, tragically died later that month after a car crash in Paris.