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Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most famous dresses in the world. Designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress was a closely guarded secret until the royal ceremony and set trends in wedding fashion. The dress was embroidered with pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins, with an 18-karat gold horseshoe stitched into the petticoats for good luck. Diana's shoes were also silk and covered in sequins and pearls.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Fabric | Silk, taffeta, antique lace |
| Length of Train | 25 feet |
| Veil | 153 yards |
| Veil Fabric | Tulle |
| Shoes | Ivory silk slippers adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls |
| Tiara | Spencer family tiara, an 18th-century heirloom |
| Flowers | Gardenias, lilies-of-the-valley, white freesia, golden roses, white orchids, and stephanotis |
| Good Luck Charm | 18-carat gold horseshoe |
| Backup Dress | Pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace
Princess Diana's wedding dress was made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace. The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved". The Emanuels had to keep the details of the dress a closely guarded secret until the big day.
The dress was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls. It featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, which was attached to Diana's tiara. The dress was so voluminous that Diana had to be "stuffed" into her carriage on the way to St. Paul's Cathedral, and the folds in the fabric caused wrinkles in the dress.
The antique lace used to trim the dress was hand-made, and a square of Carrickmacross lace that had belonged to Queen Mary was attached to the gown as Diana's "something old". A small blue bow was sewn into the waistband as her "something blue". The dress also featured an 18-carat gold horseshoe stitched into the petticoats as a good luck charm.
The Emanuels also created a backup wedding gown in case the original design was leaked to the press. This dress was made from pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, and tiny pearls sewn onto the bodice.
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It featured an 18-carat gold horseshoe charm stitched into the petticoats
Princess Diana's wedding dress was a closely guarded secret until her wedding day. The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved". The Emanuels also designed a backup dress in case the original design was leaked to the press.
The dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with hand-embroidered mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls. The lace used to trim it was antique and handmade, and a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary was attached to the gown. The dress also featured an 18-carat gold horseshoe charm stitched into the petticoats as a good luck charm. The charm was studded with white diamonds and was not visible in any photographs or to anyone near Diana at the ceremony. It was a sweet, hidden touch to an already extravagant gown.
The dress had a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, which was the longest train and veil ever worn at a royal wedding. The veil was connected to Diana's tiara, which was an 18th-century heirloom from the Spencer family. The dress set wedding fashion trends, with large puffed sleeves, full skirts, and "soft touch fabrics" becoming popular requests.
The Emanuels also designed a matching parasol and an umbrella with pearl and lace embroidery in case of rain. Princess Diana's shoes were also a hidden accessory, with ivory silk slippers adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls, along with hand-painted arch soles bearing the initials 'C' and 'D' for Charles and Diana.
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$64.59 $69.99
The dress had a 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, a former husband-and-wife duo. The dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with hand-embroidered mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls. The dress was valued at £9,000 at the time, which would be equivalent to $43,573 in 2023. The most impressive parts of the gown were its 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil.
The train and veil were the longest ever worn at a royal wedding. The designers had to wait until they were at Buckingham Palace to unravel the train fully, as their showroom was too small. The vast amount of fabric on the dress made it difficult for Princess Diana to fit into her carriage, and the act of folding the fabric caused wrinkles on the dress. The veil was attached to her tiara, completing the princess's look.
The dress was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history until its dramatic unveiling at the royal ceremony. It set wedding fashion trends, with large puffed sleeves, full skirts, and soft-touch fabrics becoming popular. Copies of the dress were available within hours of the wedding.
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Princess Diana wore a backup pair of ivory silk slippers
Princess Diana's wedding dress was one of the most famous dresses in the world and was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with its 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil, was valued at £9,000 at the time of her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981.
The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved," and which would be "suitably dramatic in order to make an impression." The designers also created a backup dress to be used in case the original design was leaked to the press. This second dress was also made of pale ivory silk taffeta, with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, and tiny pearls sewn on the bodice.
Princess Diana wore a pair of backup ivory silk slippers adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls. The hand-painted arch soles of the slippers bore the initials 'C' and 'D', for Charles and Diana, and featured a kitten heel. These incredibly detailed shoes took cobbler Clive Shilton about six months to create.
The slippers were a hidden accessory beneath Princess Diana's extravagant gown, along with an 18-carat gold horseshoe-shaped trinket studded with white diamonds, sewn into the petticoats as a sign of good fortune. The dress also included a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary, as well as a small blue bow sewn into the waistband as her "something blue."
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The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, a former husband-and-wife duo. The dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with hand-embroidered mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls. The dress had a 25-foot train, which was the longest train ever worn at a royal wedding, and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress was designed to be "suitably dramatic" and to make an impression, reflecting Diana's new status as Princess of Wales.
The Emanuels went to great lengths to keep the design of the dress a secret until the big day, even installing a safe to keep designs and fabric swatches under lock and key. They also created a second, backup wedding gown in case their original creation was leaked to the press. This dress was made of pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, and tiny pearls sewn onto the bodice.
Elizabeth Emanuel described the process of creating the dress as "fun" and an "adventure", and noted that Diana was "easygoing" and did not have any special instructions for the design. The final fitting took place at Buckingham Palace, where there was enough space to unravel the entire 25-foot train.
The dress has had a lasting influence on bridal fashion, with some elements of the design remaining popular today. Copies of the dress were available within hours of the wedding, and it has been described as the gold standard of wedding dresses.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
Princess Diana's wedding dress had a 25-foot train, the longest train ever worn at a royal wedding.
The veil was made of tulle and was 153 yards long.
Princess Diana wore hand-made ivory silk slippers adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls.
