Princess Diana’s ‘Black Sheep’ sweater, expected to fetch ₹65 lakh, sells for ₹9.1 crore

Sotheby's auction house recently revealed that an item of clothing worn by the late Princess Diana broke auction records, with the final price skyrocketing to a staggering ₹9.1 crore ($1.1 million). A last-minute frenzy saw the price leap from a mere ₹1.5 crore ($190,000) to its final sum, all within the concluding 15 minutes of the two-week event. In June, the auction was expected to fetch ₹65 lakh.

The pullover isn't just any garment. It came into limelight 40 years ago when the then-engaged Diana, Princess of Wales, wore it to one of Prince Charles' polo matches. The sweater sports a design of white sheep with a lone black sheep among them, drawing symbolic interpretation across the globe.

The fashion piece gained renewed attention due to its portrayal in the popular Netflix series, "The Crown", where a replica was worn by Emma Corrin, the actor playing Diana.

Designed by Warm & Wonderful, a boutique knitwear brand, in 1979, the woolly crew neck sweater was anything but ordinary after receiving Lady Diana's endorsement. The royal nod led to a surge in both sales and brand recognition for the knitwear label.

The sweater came into the limelight again in 1982. Designers Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne got a unique request for repair or replacement from Buckingham Palace after the princess was seen wearing a damaged version of it. The designers responded by crafting a brand-new piece for Diana, who was later spotted wearing it at another polo match.

A symbolic sweater

Sotheby's auction house described the garment as a conversation starter among media circles, fashion critics, and the general public alike. It raised questions about why the sweater resonated deeply with the late princess and what its unique design symbolised.

It's a remarkable story for a piece of knitwear: from its debut at a polo match four decades ago, to its reincarnation on a popular TV show, and finally, its record-breaking auction sale.