Princess Diana transformed her iconic Met Gala dress by ripping out the corset, designer says

Princess Diana attended the Met Gala in 1996.

Princess Diana was known for pushing boundaries, especially when it came to fashion.

One of the royal’s most iconic looks — a lingerie-inspired slip dress that she wore to the 1996 Met Gala — was designed by John Galliano, who had just become head designer at Dior.

Galliano shared new details about the look in the Hulu docuseries, “In Vogue: The 90s,” which premiered on Friday.

“It was like a blessing. I mean like, wow,” Galliano said in the series, as cited by People.

“We went to Kensington Palace and discussed drawings. I was trying to push for pink, but she was not having it. ‘No, not the pink!’ That was real, real fun,” he said.

Galliano also revealed that the dress originally had a corset, but he said the princess removed it without telling him.

The Princess of Wales wore a lingerie-inspired slip dress and a matching silk robe to the Met Gala in 1996. 

“Fast-forward to the event, and I just remember her getting out of the car,” Galliano said. “I couldn’t believe it. She’d ripped the corset out.”

“She felt so liberated. She’d torn the corset out. The dress was much more… sensuous,” he added.

Diana completed the look with a matching silk robe, sapphire earrings, and a sapphire choker necklace.

The princess’ one and only appearance at the annual event came shortly after her divorce from then-titled Prince Charles earlier that year.

But her daring style had evolved long before she officially parted ways with the royal family. In 1994, Diana wore a black off-the-shoulder bodycon dress by Christina Stambolian shortly after Charles admitted to having an affair in a TV interview.

The look was dubbed the “revenge dress” and was recreated in the historical drama series “The Crown” in 2022.

Diana’s style is still a major influence 27 years after her death.

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle appear to have taken inspiration from the princess. Both have been photographed wearing Diana’s jewelry and similar outfits to the princess over the years.

Her style isn’t only beloved royals. You just have to look on TikTok or Instagram to notice the resurgence of 80s and 90s fashion among Gen Zers over the past couple of years.

In September 2023, Diana’s famous sheep sweater sold at auction for $1.1 million, making it the most expensive sweater in the world.