The Princess & The Platypus Foundation

  When people think about Princess Diana's fashion, they usually picture a specific photograph. Maybe it's the famous black "Travolta dress." Maybe it's one of the elegant Catherine Walker outfits from an overseas tour. Everyone seems to have a different image in mind. What rarely gets talked about is the fact that none of those looks just appeared one morning. There was always somebody behind them. Usually several people, actually.   A designer with an idea. A fitting that probably ran longer than expected. Someone suggesting a different fabric. Someone else disagreeing. Fashion is rarely as effortless as it looks in the final photograph. That's probably true now and it was certainly true then. People Remember Diana. Fashion Historians Remember The Designers. That's not a criticism by the way. It's just how memory works. Most people can instantly recognize one of Diana's famous dresses, but far fewer can name the designer responsible for it...

  Some dresses become famous because of how they look. Others become famous because of where they ended up. That was often the case with Murray Arbeid designs . His gowns weren't simply worn to glamorous occasions; they appeared at some genuinely memorable royal events, often becoming part of the story themselves. Years later, people still talk about the events, the guests, and surprisingly, the dresses. Murray Arbeid Was a Familiar Name in Royal Circles During the 1980s, Murray Arbeid built a reputation for elegant evening wear that stood out without looking overly theatrical. His designs had a certain confidence to them. Rich fabrics. Strong shapes. Plenty of attention to detail.   It isn't difficult to see why society figures and royal guests were drawn to them. Back then, major royal gatherings were covered extensively by newspapers and magazines. A striking gown could end up photographed almost as much as the people wearing it. The Windsor Castle Story People St...

When people talk about Princess Diana's fashion , certain names always come up. Catherine Walker. Bruce Oldfield. Elizabeth Emanuel. Paul Costelloe sometimes gets mentioned too, although maybe not as often as he should.   Which is slightly odd when you think about it, because he was there during some very important years. If you've spent any time browsing through The Princess Diana Museum collection, you'll probably notice his name appearing again and again. After a while you start thinking, "Okay, this wasn't a one-off collaboration." Not even close. Before Diana Became "Diana" One thing that gets lost when looking back at old photographs is how young she actually was. We tend to remember the confident Diana from later years. The woman stepped out of cars looking completely comfortable with cameras pointed at her from every angle. Early Diana felt different. I'm a little shy sometimes. A little unsure in certain photographs. Which is under...

When people think about Princess Diana's wardrobe, hats usually aren't the first thing that come to mind. It's funny actually.   Most people remember the dresses. The photographs. The big fashion moments that ended up on magazine covers. But if you start looking through older pictures for a few minutes, you begin noticing something else. Diana wore hats... a lot. And quite a few of them came from Philip Somerville . If you've been exploring pieces inside The Princess Diana Museum, you've probably come across his name already. It pops up repeatedly once you start paying attention. Not Every Fashion Influence Gets the Headlines Somerville wasn't one of those designers constantly putting himself in the spotlight. In some ways, that's what makes the story interesting. He wasn't creating outfits that screamed for attention. His role was different. The hats had to work with everything else Diana was wearing. The coat. The dress. The occasion. Even th...

  Princess Diana’s style in the 1990s didn’t just “happen.” It shifted, quite noticeably, and behind that shift were a few key designers who seemed to understand where she was in life at that point. Not just what she should wear, but what she wanted to express, even if it wasn’t said directly.   It wasn’t one designer leading everything. It was a mix, and each one sort of fit into a different phase. Tomasz Starzewski and the Rise of Power Dressing One name that stands out during this period is Tomasz Starzewski . His designs leaned heavily on structure—clean lines, defined shapes, nothing overly decorative. A good example is the white suit Diana wore to the VJ Day 50th anniversary in London. It was paired with a hat by Philip Somerville, and the whole look felt… controlled, deliberate.  What’s interesting is that she wore that same outfit again during a private meeting with the Queen in 1996.  That repetition doesn’t feel accidental. It almost suggests she s...

  There’s something about Princess Diana that people still… hold onto. It’s hard to explain properly. It wasn’t just the way she looked or spoke, or even the fact that she was part of the royal family. It was how she made people feel seen. And that shows up clearly when you look at Princess Diana charities . Step inside her story and experience the legacy firsthand—Get a free estimate today.   Why Princess Diana’s Charities Still Matter When people search about Princess Diana charities , they’re not just looking for names of organisations. They’re trying to understand why her work still feels relevant. She stood beside causes that many people, at that time especially, were uncomfortable even talking about. Things like: HIV/AIDS patients, when fear and misinformation were everywhere Landmine victims, far from the spotlight most people followed Homeless communities, often ignored in plain sight Seriously ill children who needed more than just medical help And she didn’t just...