A wax figure of Diana in the “revenge dress” was unveiled in the French capital on November 20. The Paris wax museum is one of the oldest in Europe. According to museum officials, the figure was commissioned in Paris after the museum’s director visited London and was disappointed with the image of Diana at Madame Tussauds, prompting him to commission his own version.
The life-size figure of the late princess is dressed in a replica of the black, off-the-shoulder, form-fitting cocktail dress Diana wore to an event at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1994. This happened on the same evening that King Charles III – then Prince Charles – confessed to his infidelity and went public with his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
For Paris, the figure has a special significance: the site of the tragic death of Diana, whom the French call “Lady Di”, has become a place of remembrance, where fans bring flowers and leave notes.
However, fans and the media reacted mixedly to the figure. Many considered the image too realistic and even comical. Others noted the symbolism of the outfit.
French writer Christine Orban called the choice of a black dress a turning point in Diana’s story.
This dress symbolizes her liberation, because in the royal family, black is only worn at funerals, and such a revealing dress for a princess is also unusual, she said. – That’s why she decides to wear heels and Louboutin shoes. And go to the Serpentine Gallery to make an impression and take photos.
