A Day with Diana

I was recently in Philadelphia for speaking engagements and between a luncheon where I was the honoree for the American Red Cross and an evening presentation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, I stole away a couple of hours of “down time” for myself.

I was lucky enough to be in Philly in the window of Oct.2 thru Dec.31 where Constitution Hall houses the only U.S. viewing of “Diana: A Celebration.” The day was clear and all the downtown street lamps had banners proclaiming the exhibit.

I recall my wife and I getting up at 4:00 a.m. in July, 1981 to watch, truly, the wedding of the century. I was only a year into my career at that point but I knew immediately it would shape my future….and indeed it did. We sold several of the Diana inspired copies and suddenly formal, traditional weddings were back in style. (Thank heaven!)

The exhibit was divided into collections: Tiara, Childhood, Wedding, Evening Wear, Charitable Works and Condolences. You can imagine that as I rounded the corner of the gallery “Wedding,” my chest tightened as I knew “The Gown” was there. And all I can say is “Wow!”

There were screens showing footage from the processional and the palace, as well as interviews with the Emmanuel’s, her designers. In addition were her shoes, a bridesmaid’s dress and the mannequin worn the Spencer diamond tiara. The train, being 25’ long, was softly pleated in the enormous glass case that housed it. I was struck by how “basic” the beading was on the gown, as I have sold much more elaborate beadwork in Stephen Yearick and Kenneth Pool. The silk taffeta though was primo! What a luster.

Though I had a moment of “no guard watching,” to enforce the “Absolutely No Photographs Allowed” rule….I didn’t want to risk my camera being confiscated or being evicted if I did snap a photo. However, as a stroke of good fortune, my host went to the head of security and explained that I who I was in the context of being Guest of Honor for the city’s Red Cross and coincidentally a gown designer, salon owner and wedding planner.

Suddenly the gallery got temporarily shut down and the guard not only allowed the photograph of me alone with the gown, but he was the one who took it! Again…..”Wow!”

As I left the exhibit, I was struck by the authenticity of Princess Diana and her role as a mother, a future Queen, a humanitarian, a style icon and the best thing that ever happened to Charles. Disillusionment and heartache are not only for the commoners. A man who had it all, let it go. His sons were traumatized twice, by their parents’ divorce and then by their mother’s world stage tragic death.

I bought as souvenirs for my daughters, replicas of her wedding shoes that are created in Christmas ornaments and come in a cool Althorp box with brochure of the exhibit. I will have them at their place settings on Thanksgiving.

It was a wonderful day, a wonderful trip back into memory lane, a wonderful experience that I know was once-in-a-life time. My wife and daughters had seen the entire collection of Royal Wedding Gowns a few years ago on one of their spring breaks to London and now it’s an opportunity we can all cherish.

One of my remaining life goals is to be present for a Royal Wedding and you can count on me to be in England, sleeping on the sidewalk (if that’s as close as I can get) when Prince William marries.