Hidden meaning behind ‘lost’ Diana sheep jumper set to fetch £70,000 at auction

Princess Diana’s iconic knitted sheep sweater was widely seen as a sartorial statement hinting at her true feelings about signing up for The Firm.

The red intarsia jumper – featuring a single black sheep among a herd of white – was famously worn by Lady Diana Spencer, aged 19, to watch a polo match of the then-Prince of Wales, Charles, three months after they officially became engaged in February 1981.

She teamed it with a white collared blouse and black neck tie in what would become one of the late princess’ best-known looks from the era, helping to seal her fashion icon status.

It also sparked a resurgence of her unique style following the popularity of the fourth series of The Crown, exploring Diana and Charles’ ill-fated relationship.

The original jumper was designed by Sally Muir and Joanna Osbourne of the label ‘Warm and Wonderful’ in 1979, before countless duplicates were produced.

They said: ‘Much to our amazement, the first we knew of Lady Diana Spencer wearing the sweater was when we saw her on the front page of one of the Sunday newspapers.

‘Her influence was impactful almost immediately thereafter, leading to a surge in sales and public awareness of our small label, for which we will be forever grateful.’

Muir and Osbourne later received an official letter from Buckingham Palace requesting a repair or replacement as the jumper had been damaged.

They knitted a new sweater for the later princess but until recently the whereabouts of the original jumper were a mystery.

It was only discovered in March this year inside their attic, hidden in a small box next to a cotton bedspread.

The label stopped making the sheep design in 1994 – but the jumper was reissued as a collaboration with brand Rowing Blazers, in 2020 – in the wake of huge demand when actress Emma Corrin wore a replica to play Diana in The Netflix series.

A sweater of the same design now lives in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum as part of its permanent collection.

However, one person has the chance to get their hands on the historic fashion item – provided they have a spare £70,000.

That is the amount the jumper is expected to sell for when it goes under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York on September 7.

It is listed as part of the auction house’s inaugural Fashion Icons sale, which will take place during New York Fashion Week between August 31 to September 14.

Sotheby’s global head of fashion and accessories Cynthia Houlton said of the jumper: ‘This exceptional garment, meticulously preserved, carries the whispers of Princess Diana’s grace, charm, and her keen eye for fashion.’

The auction house holds the record for the most expensive dress owned by Diana ever sold.

An aubergine ball gown fetched around £478,870 ($604,800) in the Royal and Noble auction in January.

Kim Kardashian was the highest bidder for Diana’s Attallah Cross, which sold for £163,800.

Diana’s most memorable outfits also include her infamous ‘revenge dress’, which raised eyebrows at a Vanity Fair party at London’s Serpentine Gallery in 1994.

The bold little black dress showed her cleavage, shoulders and legs in a defiant display against royal protocol, two years after she and Charles announced their separation in 1992.

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