The Crown has seen Elizabeth Debicki step out of the box in terms of her style, from her British Vogue makeover to the joyous Christopher John Rogers looks she’s worn on the press tour. But the season five premiere red carpet for the Netflix show dictated a classic mood that transcended the trend cycle. And the brand that happily provided a dress fit for a princess? Dior, of course.
The symbolism of Debicki’s Dior haute couture spring/summer 2022 gown was not lost on royal style watchers. The black silk crepe strapless design featured a similar ribbed draped bustier to that of a baby-blue Catherine Walker dress Diana, Princess of Wales, whom Elizabeth plays in The Crown, wore to Cannes in 1987.
The jet-black shade of the modern dress also evoked the period that’s fictionalized in the new series, in which Diana redefines royal style by, amongst many things, frequently wearing black—a color previously only worn as a mark of respect while mourning.
The new silhouette, though striking in its simplicity, took two members of the Dior atelier some 300 hours to perfect and is emblematic of the craft-centric ethos of the house, which named its Lady Dior bag after Diana in 1996. Styled with Bois de Rose rings, bracelets, and ear cuffs in yellow gold, pink gold, and diamonds, as well as Rose Dior Couture earrings in pink gold and diamonds from Dior Joaillerie, the statuesque look continued a long relationship between brand and princess.
As Debicki hit the red carpet, it was announced that the actor is now a Dior Joaillerie ambassador—fitting considering the metaphors at the heart of the jewelry Diana wore, particularly after her split from Prince Charles. As the drama unfolds around the plot lines of The Crown, Debicki can be confident in the knowledge she has continued the tradition of quintessentially Diana looks, loaded with meaning.
This post was originally published in British Vogue.
