In 1996, Princess Diana made her first and only appearance at the Met Gala in a daring navy slip dress by John Galliano—a look that became iconic not just for its elegance but for the secret alterations that made it far more risqué than the designer intended. The gown, paired with symbolic jewelry and accessories, marked a defining moment in Diana’s post-royal fashion evolution, signaling her newfound freedom and enduring influence as a style icon.
The Princess of Wales arrived at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art just hours after flying in on the Concorde, drawing immediate attention as cameras captured her every move. Less than four months after her divorce from Prince Charles, Diana embraced the spotlight, ascending the Met’s grand staircase alongside Harper’s Bazaar editor Liz Tilberis.
Galliano, then newly appointed at Dior, had designed the gown for that year’s Christian Dior theme. In the 2023 Hulu documentary In Vogue: The 90s, he recalled proposing a pink design, but Diana insisted on navy blue—then took the transformation further. Without his knowledge, she removed the structured corset, creating a looser, more sensual silhouette. “I couldn’t believe it when she stepped out of the car,” Galliano admitted. “She’d ripped the corset out. She didn’t want to wear it.”
The choice was bold, even controversial. Royal biographer Katie Nicholl noted that Diana worried about her 14-year-old son Prince William’s reaction. Yet the press praised her glamour, with Barbara Walters calling her “a work of art” on Hard Copy, while The New York Times remarked on the “restorative powers of celebrity.”
Symbolism in Style
Diana’s accessories carried deeper meaning. She wore her sapphire engagement ring—later inherited by Prince William—on her left hand, reclaiming it as a family heirloom rather than a relic of her marriage. Her pearl-and-sapphire choker, previously paired with her infamous “revenge dress,” reinforced her narrative of resilience.
The pièce de résistance was her mini Lady Dior bag, a refined version of the original gifted by France’s then-first lady Bernadette Chirac. Diana’s frequent use of the design had prompted Dior to rename it in her honor earlier that year.
Legacy
Diana’s Met Gala appearance remains one of the most memorable in the event’s history—a masterclass in fashion as self-expression. As today’s stars prepare for the 2025 gala, few have matched the cultural impact of a princess who turned a gown into a manifesto.
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