Lady Diana's Fashion Statements Relived in The Crown

Diana’s fashion evolution as depicted in The Crown Season 4. Photo Credit: Grazia Daily UK

The Crown Season 4, recently released on Netflix, serves as a reminder of Lady Diana’s impeccable sense of fashion and style. Known to be very expressive with her choice of outfits, we couldn’t help but do a little more research about Lady Diana’s fashion choices. Naturally, that includes her handbag choices.

Lady Diana’s designer handbag of choice was none other than Christian Dior’s ‘Lady Dior’ bag (Read: The Tale of a Lady: The Lady Dior). Diana’s love for the bag began when she was gifted one by France’s First Lady at the time, Bernadette Chirac. The style instantly became her favorite – she was spotted carrying versions of it on multiple occasions. Ultimately, Dior named the bag ‘Lady Dior’ in her honor.

Lady Diana was seldom spotted without her favorite ‘chouchou’ or Lady Dior Bag. Photo Credit: Getty Images via Savoir Flair

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Not one to conform to rules, especially the very staid royal dressing rules, “The Crown” also reminds us of how Lady Di liked to shake things up a notch at every possible opportunity. Her sense of style reportedly evolved with the various stages of her short but highly public life. Diana’s fashion sense appears intertwined in many ways with the complicated relationship shared between her and Prince Charles.

According to Vanity Fair, In the early years of her marriage, Princess Diana’s outfits were more demure and alluring, consisting mainly of pretty pastels and ruffles. This then evolved into a bolder and brighter style which just screamed ‘look at me’ when she craved attention and approval. She began to shun fashion during the time of her divorce – sticking to blazers and sheath dresses, but then again emerged from it post her divorce in an even bolder and sexier avatar. In the final years of her life, she is said to have auctioned off her gowns, rolled up her sleeves, and focused on her humanitarian work.

Photo Credit: Daily Mail UK

Photo Credit: Metro UK

Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in season 4 of ‘The Crown’. Photo Credit: lifestyle.livemint

Photo Credit: Netflix and Getty images via Instyle

Photo Credit: splashnews via Vanity Fair

Which brought us to wondering about Diana’s favorite designer labels through this journey.

Lady Diana wore several glamorous gowns, outfits, and accessories designed by Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Christian Dior. She also frequently donned sharp Chanel tweed suits and jackets. We did, however, notice the obvious absence of the familiar ‘CC’ motif in her wardrobe. Rumor has it she veered away from Chanel items with the ‘CC’ logo due to her husband’s infidelity with his mistress (whom he later married) Camilla Parker Bowles.

Princess Diana in a black long-sleeved dress by Chanel.
Photo Credit: Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images via @bustle

Lady Diana in a black fluted mini skirt and royal blue double-breasted, collarless jacket, designed by Chanel In 1992 on a visit the Great Ormand Street Hospital for Children. Photo Credit: Tim Graham/Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images via @bustle

Lady Di in a Chanel Tweed suit in 1997 on a visit to the British Lung Foundation.
Photo Credit: Tim Graham/Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images via @bustle

Reportedly Camilla presented Charles with a set of Chanel cufflinks with the intertwined C’s logo on it before his marriage to Diana, so that Charles would never be able to forget her. Upon discovering this present (on their honeymoon no less) Lady Di was apparently so upset that she went on to ask her butler, Paul Burrell, to remove the Chanel branding from all her clothing. Although often in Chanel couture, Diana’s ensembles did not have the double CCs.

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By many accounts, Princess Diana refused to wear the logo even after her divorce from Prince Charles. For example, during a post-divorce visit to Australia, she was asked to wear a pair of Chanel shoes with the ‘CC’ logo that perfectly matched her outfit. She refused, saying ‘’No, I can’t wear linked Cs, the double C’ because ‘It’s Camilla and Charles.’

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Photo Credit: Getty images via Tatler

We can’t help but wonder if her preferred choice of handbag by Christian Dior over anything by Chanel, has anything to do with the fact that the designer’s initials are CD. Perhaps, Charles and Diana?