Princess Diana's iconic jumper to be sold at auction
The iconic black sheep jumper worn by the late Princess Diana is going to auction.
The woollen jumper was worn by Lady Di to a polo match in Windsor in June 1981, just one month before she married Prince Charles.
Soon after Diana wore the garment to the polo match, it was returned to Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, founders of the label Warm & Wonderful because of a tear at the cuff.
It was sent back to the designers along with a note from Buckingham Palace, requesting that the jumper be either repaired or replaced.
A new jumper was knitted for Diana, with Joanna Osborne believing the original garment has been lost after the replacement was sent to the Princess of Wales, which she wore to another polo match in 1983.
However, earlier this year Osborne discovered the jumper, which has been preserved underneath an old cotton bedspread, while searching her attic looking for an old pattern.
She got in touch with Sotheby's auction house which has since given the garment an auction estimate of £50,000-£70,000 (approx. $95,000 - $133,000 AUD).
It will be auctioned online between August 31st and September 14th.
Speaking to The Telegraph UK, Osborne said, "We didn't think we had any of the original sheep jumpers, because at the time, we were so desperate to complete orders that we never owned one ourselves, so I couldn't believe I'd found the original Diana sheep jumper."
"It took a while to sink in. And we're so lucky it's not fallen to pieces."
Sotheby's said of the now-iconic design, "The Black Sheep sweater is one of the most iconic pieces worn by Princess Diana to ever come to market."
"The cultural impact of this moment from the 1980s is exemplified by the head of Rowing Blazers, Jack Carlson, who in 2020, requested to partner with the original designers and license the sheep design to be reproduced for his own fashion line."
"The business partners reported an outstanding response from consumers, emphasizing the immortality of Diana's taste and her influence on popular culture."
Image credits: Getty Images