Royal Watch News

Princess Diana preferred thermals

Feb 18, 2013, 16:02 GMT

Princess Diana

Princess Diana preferred to wear thermal underwear to coats.

The late British royal - who died in a car crash in 1997 - loved to show off her dresses and never wanted to hide them under long winter wear, according to designer David Sassoon, who worked closely with her from her engagement to the Prince of Wales in 1981 onward.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: 'Diana didn't like coats. I used to ask, 'Are you going to be warm enough wearing that?' and she'd say, 'Don't worry, I'll wear my thermals underneath'. She was a great one for thermals.'

The princess was known for her elegant fashion choices and David said she loved provoke a reaction, although she also was not fussy, as many people wrongly believe.

He added: 'Diana enjoyed fashion and getting a reaction from her outfits. In fittings, she'd say 'this will get them going - this will get a response'.

'Everyone thought she was fussy about clothes but she wasn't. Many other members of the Royal family would ask for hundreds of changes in fittings and ruin the whole outfit, but not Diana.'

A new exhibition of David's work with fashion house Belville Sassoon - which he founded in the 50s with socialite Belinda Belville - is on display in London, featuring many designs he worked on with the princess. Many of the sketches are annotated by the princess, showing just how involved in the process she was.

David, 80, added: 'She had a very clear idea of what she did and didn't like and she'd look at sketches and make notes asking if we could put a sleeve or a neckline from one design on to another dress.'

The Glamour of Bellville Sassoon exhibition runs at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London from September 20 to January 11, 2014.