The unexpected designer behind Princess Diana's rise to global style icon - despite a rocky start

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Princess Diana understood the powerful message clothing could convey – most memorably illustrated by her bold entrance at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994.
On the same night Prince Charles publicly admitted to infidelity, Diana stunned in a daring off-the-shoulder black dress by Christina Stambolian, an ensemble that would go down in history as the iconic 'revenge dress'.
Throughout her life, Diana had a deep appreciation for British fashion, with a special fondness for David and Elizabeth Emanuel (creators of her wedding gown), Catherine Walker (who designed the dress she was buried in), Bruce Oldfield and Jenny Packham.
Yet her style evolution began with a lesser-known name: David Sassoon, who passed away on April 9 at the age of 92.
As co-founder of Bellville Sassoon, alongside Belinda Bellville, David played a key role in transforming Diana from a shy Sloane ranger into an international fashion icon.
Her loyalty to him was unwavering – he designed over 70 gowns for her between 1981 and her untimely death in 1997.
David was behind many memorable looks, including the ten dresses Diana selected for her honeymoon with Charles, as well as her peach going-away suit, worn as she boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia en route to Gibraltar.
However, their partnership had a rocky start. Just days before her engagement was announced in 1981, Diana visited the Bellville Sassoon studio in Knightsbridge – and the reception she received was far from warm.
The studio's formidable French vendeuse was unimpressed by the teenage girl browsing clothing far too sophisticated – and likely too expensive – for her.
She coolly suggested that 'madam' might have better luck shopping at Harrods. Diana promptly left, feeling rather embarrassed.
Only later did David and Belinda discover from another assistant that the young woman bore a striking resemblance to Lady Diana Spencer. 'We nearly had a fit,' David recalled.
Fortunately, the situation was salvaged by Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, who was not so easily deterred.
Although Diana wore a blue Cojana suit from Harrods for her engagement announcement, it was her mother who brought her back to Bellville Sassoon to commission her wedding trousseau – securing a relationship that would become a cornerstone of the royal's style legacy.
Diana chose a sailor suit from the studio's ready-to-wear collection for her first official portrait with Charles and Queen Elizabeth. After that, it was all couture.
'She was a joy to dress. She could wear any colour and look wonderful,' David previously told You Magazine. 'Some of the royal ladies could be difficult but Diana would always send little thank-you notes or twirl around saying, "They're going to love this!" She really was a delight.'
Before working with Diana, David had dressed every royal lady – except the Queen – along with a host of stars, including Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Mirren and Jackie Kennedy.
Created by David in 1988, this floral dress became known as Diana's 'caring dress' because she often wore it to meet children. She decided against wearing the matching hat, telling the designer it wasn't possible to cuddle a child in a hat
Princess Diana wearing a Bellville Sassoon maternity coat for a royal engagement in Huddersfield in 1982
Despite the formalities required when addressing a royal, Diana always made the conversation personal. 'She was always asking, "What have you been doing, what have you seen?" David said. They shared a love for ballet and often bonded over it.
'There were times when I'd be quite fraught and she'd pat the sofa beside her and say, "Now, what's the problem? Sit down and have a cup of tea."
'She was good at listening to your woes but she rarely opened up about her own.'
Diana's style broke with tradition. She frequently skipped gloves, sometimes went without hats, and was the first royal woman to regularly wear trousers. She enjoyed surprising people and expressing herself through her wardrobe.
Among the standout pieces David created for her were a glittering gown for the State Opening of Parliament and a red coat with statement stitching, worn on the day she announced her pregnancy with Prince William.
Diana was highly engaged in the design process, returning sketches with handwritten notes like 'Yes, please!' or 'Please could I have this one without the high collar and bow?' She always followed up a delivery with a thoughtful gift or a note of thanks.
On paper, David and Diana made an unlikely alliance: he was the son of Iraqi-Jewish immigrants, she was the daughter of an earl.
He was nearly 30 years her senior and several inches shorter in stature, but he had an eye for elegance and his résumé was unparalleled.
Diana wore a glamorous off-the-shoulder dress by Bellville Sassoon to a concert at the Barbican in 1989
The Princess dazzled in a Bellville Sassoon evening gown at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1981
On the day she announced her first pregnancy with Prince William in 1981, Diana wore a striking Bellville Sassoon coat, incorporating statement stitching and a fringed trim. She continued to favour the designer throughout both pregnancies
David Sassoon and Belinda Bellville pictured in their Knightsbridge store in 1981. David passed away on April 9 at the age of 92
As she found her style footing, Diana grew to depend on David – both as her designer and a trusted confidant in the often stifling world of palace life.
David officially retired in 2012 but remained involved in fashion, curating a retrospective of his work at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey.
Since then, his designs have featured in numerous exhibitions, most recently Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style at the Museum of London Docklands in 2023.