Would you spend £1000 on a piece of Princess Di fabric?
Filed under: CELEBRITY STYLE, Celebrity, News
Princess Diana dresses are like the holy grail of Lady Di memorabilia. It's no surprise that David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the design duo who created Princess Diana's wedding dress and her iconic black dress are trying to cash in on their Di connection. The Emanuels created a limited-edition gift package to commemorate the 10th anniversary of her death.
The £1000 gift package contains a copy of the Emanuels' 250-page book of Diana dress sketches as well as a certified piece of material taken from the original bolt of silk used in Princess Diana's dress patterns.
At the risk of incurring Diana-fan wrath, I have to admit that the whole idea of selling fabric scraps strikes me as quite odd. Take away the Diana mythology, and the Emanuel gift package starts to sound a lot like religious relics from the Middle Ages. Granted, a piece of Diana fabric isn't as macabre as the femur of John the Baptist, but it's arguably just as weird.
Annie D 6-29-2007 @ 2:36PM
I should think that if the Emmanuels are going to make money from selling scraps of "supposed Diana wedding dress material" (how can one be sure it is authentic) then they seriously need to consider donating the proceeds towards the charity groups Diana was involved with. If their intentions are strictly to gain a profit (which in my minds eye this may be the case) then I personally believe this to be a very shameful and disgusting act of greed!
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margo 6-29-2007 @ 2:46PM
sounds interesting....We have some coins of their wedding id like to market,,and some other "Diana things",,, but dont know how to do this,,,any ideas?
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margo faulkner 6-29-2007 @ 2:48PM
I added to this,,, and would enjoy other views. thanks
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Annie D 6-29-2007 @ 2:58PM
I should think that if the Emmanuels are going to make money off the supposed scraps of Diana material , then they should donate more than half of the proceeds to the many charity groups that Diana was involved with. If the sole purpose of having such a sale is for mere profit (which in my minds eye this is how it appears) then this a horrible display of disgusting greed! Prince William and Prince Harry should step in for the sake of their mother!
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ramona 6-29-2007 @ 3:04PM
If Diana never touched the fabric then why would have any value to anyone? Just because the Emmanuels say it came from the same bolt as fabric used for Diana's dresses makes it about as relevant as the many beds George Washington is alleged to have slept in.
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Joan 6-29-2007 @ 3:24PM
I was a big Diana fan (even bought some Diana fashion books while in the UK many, many years ago) and still am, but no way!
Seems like this is just greed on their part.
By the way - I really didn't like her wedding gown. The style was just ok and they should have done a better job choosing the fabric - something that looked good and didn't wrinkle so horribly.
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matt 6-29-2007 @ 3:39PM
How is this any different than collectors cashing in on Elvis' or any other deceased celebrity's worldly materials. If there is a market for plain silk and copies of sketches, by all means sell it while you can!
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maddog1331 6-29-2007 @ 3:34PM
First, yes this does sound like greed to me.
Second, they are selling fabric from the same bolt of cloth, not from the dress. Tacky. Like valuing a car because "the same plant that made this car made Elvises". Like "Meet the man who met Andy Griffith". Or "Genuine Authentic Reproduction". Things that are technically worthless, but someone tries to give some value to them but some stretch of the imagination.
Third, even if it was from the actual dress, TACKY.
Did I mention tacky?
End of line.
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dgcreel1965 6-29-2007 @ 4:09PM
People sure have a funny way of looking at things,If you find it so disgusting then dont buy it.it wasnt like it came off the virgin marys smock or even the clothes she was wearing when she died.You people seem to think she was without fault,what was a grown woman with 2 children doing out at 230 in the morning intoxicated,Ive yet to be in a bar that had starving african children in it
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GB 6-29-2007 @ 4:10PM
I thought the high priced piece of silk was a pair of panties. lol!!!!!
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Pat 6-29-2007 @ 4:21PM
Her dress was actually ugly. I was shocked that she ever accepted it in the first place.
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Bonnie W. 6-29-2007 @ 4:33PM
Diana was a beautiful and wonderful person, don't ruin her memory with such petty stuff as selling pieces of the material supposely used in her dress. Remember her in death as you did in life. Treat her memory as you would someone in your own family.
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Jane 6-29-2007 @ 4:32PM
Matt, you can sell whatever you'd like, but something like this is so tasteless and lacks any class. These aren't just some people, these are the people Diana trusted to design clothes her dresses. They could at least show a little respect, I don't think Diana would approve of the way they are exploiting her death to profit from scraps of fabric. And like maddog1331 said, it's not even from her REAL dress! And its only copies of sketches, not the actual ones! It's a sad world when greed is condoned and compassion is forgotten.
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Tina 6-29-2007 @ 4:34PM
Cha Ching! Can't people let someone have some peace instead of exploiting there memory by turning a buck. Sick.
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Greg Link 6-29-2007 @ 4:56PM
I would not only pay a 1000lbs for it, I would pay a million! Diana should be remembered until the world comes to an end!
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jimmydo2 6-29-2007 @ 5:00PM
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows".
I Timothy chapter 6, verse 10.
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goat731 6-29-2007 @ 5:01PM
When do they plan to auction her earlobes on e-bay?
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debra 6-29-2007 @ 5:06PM
do people not have a life or do they just live off off other people who have lives that they will never have.... get a hobby. let the woman rest in peace and let her children carry on her legacy
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jimmydo2 6-29-2007 @ 5:10PM
Yes, even earning money comes at a price. In this particular case, it is INTEGRITY.
It's sad these people reduce ROYALTY to the level of a cheap souvenir.
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Linda 6-29-2007 @ 5:14PM
Oh my god.... this is such greed.. exploitation and totally wrong!
I would not buy it if were a nickle. If they do not donate all the proceeds to charity then they are no better than everyone else who cashed in with there "tell all" books from people she confided in with her deepest heart secrets, and they betrayed her confidence when she needed it the most.
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