This is how revenge looks like: why the world will never forget the image of Princess Diana at the 1996 Met Gala

The annual Costume Institute's Met Gala allows famous stars to wear impressive looks and get their moment of fashion fame on the red carpet in New York. Over the past decades, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the event takes place, has seen many amazing costumes.

One of the landmark moments in the history of the ball was the appearance of Princess Diana. The royal made a splash at the 1996 Met Gala, appearing in front of the cameras in a dark dress. The British woman's outfit symbolized real revenge, Business Insider writes.

Lady Di's Met Gala debut came shortly after she finalized her divorce from Prince Charles in August 1996, a story that made headlines around the world. But Diana wasn't afraid to be bold when she arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on December 9 of that year.

The theme of the ball was dedicated to Christian Dior. In the photo, you can see how the princess arrived at the venue with her close friend Liz Tilberis, the British editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar and the chairman of the ball.

Diana's £10,000 dark blue dress (half a million hryvnias today), trimmed with black lace and worn under a matching velvet opera coat, created turn-of-the-century glamour. It was also a fashion revolution, as the royal was the first person to wear a dress by new Dior designer John Galliano. She added a sapphire choker and pearls to the look, as well as a Lady Dior bag, which was originally called the "Chouchou" and was renamed in her honor.

Eloise Moran, author of a book about Lady Dee's style, said that the British woman's ensemble for the Met Gala was definitely "revenge" after her divorce from Prince Charles: "It was one of her most shocking dresses. But I thought she looked incredible. She just looks so happy and confident."

"I think she embraced it and enjoyed it," the writer added. "She knew she could never get rid of the attention, but I think she positioned herself differently coming out, as some kind of international megastar, a Marilyn Monroe-type icon, not a member of the royal family. And I think the dress really reflected that."

Royal biographer Katie Nicholl, who wrote William and Harry, said that Diana did have some reservations about the bold dress, worried that the outfit might embarrass 14-year-old William.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA talked about the Met Gala phenomenon and why there is so much hype around it: tickets for the price of an apartment in Kyiv and a complete ban on social media. This year's Costume Institute ball will be held on the night of May 6-7, Kyiv time.

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