Princess Diana’s iconic style continues to captivate and inspire countless admirers to date. Her fashion statements were often popular for deeper meanings, interpreted as reflections of her inner complexities. Last year, a piece of her wardrobe, the red and white wool Black Sheep sweater by Warm & Wonderful, stole the spotlight at an auction. Worn by a youthful Diana at a polo match alongside Prince Charles in 1981, the sweater had a lone black sheep amidst a sea of white and fetched an astounding $1.1 million after intense bidding, as reported by The Cut. The sweater surpassed all previous records for Diana’s fashion items, outshining even a luxurious purple silk gown. Crafted by the visionary duo behind Warm & Wonderful, Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, this iconic piece marked the beginning of a fashion revolution. It became a global sensation, as recounted by USA Today. Moreover, the auction house’s description read, “Carefully dissecting the sweater’s symbolism and why it resonated with Diana so deeply, the sweater ignited conversations amongst global media, fashion critics, and of course, the general public.” The design soon emerged as one of the late Princess’s enduring symbols, inspiring fashion enthusiasts for decades. Its timeless appeal was so profound that in 2022, Rowing Blazers partnered with Warm & Wonderful to reintroduce the iconic piece to a new generation. Furthermore, in a revealing interview, Muir and Osborne shed light on the inspiration behind the distinctive black-sheep motif. Osborne said, “It was a sort of natural progression, really, in that we wanted to make knitwear. Knitwear is made of wool and wool comes from sheep, so it seemed like a natural thing.” He added, “We were restricted in the size of pattern we could make because we had really basic knitting machines.” Then, he stated, “[The pattern] had to be a repeating one, and the black sheep was thrown in because it was funny. It was fun.” They were also asked if they knew Diana had purchased one of their sweaters. Osborne said, “She was given it. We didn’t give it to her; we think she was given it by the mother of one of her page boys. Because we had a small business, we could virtually identify the buyer. We don’t know for certain, but we think that’s the case, and we had no idea she owned it at all until we saw it on the front page of the Sunday papers.” As Osborne and Muir sifted through the treasures of their attic, they found Diana’s original sheep sweater. They said previously, “Since stumbling upon the sweater in March of this year, we have been reliving the fond memories of Princess Diana appearing on the front pages of every newspaper in 1981, wearing our very own sweater.” They added, “While we are forever indebted to her for the impact this had on our business, our deepest appreciation lies in the knowledge that she shared a unique connection to the black sheep design. We are thrilled that this cherished sweater has now found a new home, carrying with it the enduring legacy of Princess Diana.”
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