8 hours Ago By TOI Lifestyle Desk
Princess Diana's single Met Gala appearance in 1996 remains iconic. Donning a navy Dior slip dress, subtly altered from Galliano's original design by removing the corset, she exuded confidence post-divorce. Accessorizing with her 'revenge dress' choker and sapphire engagement ring, she reclaimed her narrative, solidifying her status as a fashion icon who used style for self-expression.
With the Met Gala 2025 beginning, it's only fair we rewind to one of the most unforgettable and surprisingly singular, appearances in Met history. Long before celebrities hired full glam squads or wore looks designed for Instagram virality, there was Princess Diana, quietly rewriting fashion rules with one single (and legendary) Met Gala moment. Yes, the original It-girl of the ’90s only ever attended the Met Gala once, back in 1996 but her presence was nothing short of iconic.
It was the post-divorce Diana era: confident, unapologetic, and ready to turn heads on her own terms. She’d flown in from London on the Concorde, touched down in NYC, and within hours was sashaying up the Met steps like she owned the place. Diana didn’t just show up, she served.
Her outfit? A navy slip dress trimmed in black lace, designed by none other than a then-freshly appointed John Galliano, making his debut for Dior. The 1996 gala theme celebrated the legendary French house, and who better to represent it than the most famous woman in the world? But here’s where it gets juicy: Diana didn’t wear the dress exactly how Galliano had envisioned it. According to the designer, when he saw her step out of the car, he was stunned, she'd removed the corset.
Gone was the original structure he’d planned. What remained was a slinky, lingerie-inspired dress that whispered elegance and screamed liberation. It was sexy, bold, and unmistakably her.
And it wasn’t just the dress that made headlines. Her accessories told their own story. The sapphire-and-pearl choker she wore? That was the same piece she’d worn with the iconic “revenge dress” you know, the one she wore the night Prince Charles confessed to infidelity on TV.
It was also the same choker she paired with her unforgettable dance moment with John Travolta at the White House. That necklace wasn’t just jewellery, it was armour. She even wore her famous sapphire engagement ring - yes, the one now on Kate Middleton’s hand - on her left ring finger, reclaiming it as her own.
No longer a royal obligation, it became a symbol of legacy, strength, and independence. And let’s not forget the bag. That adorable mini handbag on her arm? It was a petite version of a gift she’d received from France’s then-first lady, Bernadette Chirac.
The bag was originally called the Chouchou, but after Diana turned it into a fashion sensation, Dior renamed it “Lady Dior” in her honour. Now that’s influence. What made Diana’s Met Gala moment so powerful wasn’t just the glamour.
It was what it meant. This was a woman freshly untethered from the royal rulebook, using fashion as a form of self-expression and reclaiming her narrative in front of the entire world. No tiaras.
No royal titles. Just Diana, in full control of her style and story. Barbara Walters called her a “work of art.
” And Galliano, even after being surprised by her edit to his design, admitted it made the look “much more sensuous.” Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora and Amrita Arora turn cheerleaders for Natasha Poonawalla for her appearance at the Met Gala 2022. Deets inside As the Met Gala red carpet gets rolled out once again, and celebrities gear up to deliver their most theatrical, jaw-dropping ensembles, it’s worth remembering: some of the most powerful fashion moments come not from gimmicks or shock value but from authenticity, intention, and owning your story.
So here’s to Princess Diana. One night, one dress, and a legacy that still looms large on those iconic Met steps..
