Tweed suit worn by Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana, Princess of Wales asked the designer Bill Pashley to produce two versions of this suit for her. This is the smaller version that was kept by the designer in his studio. The Princess chose to wear the larger one for her honeymoon at Balmoral, Scotland, in 1981 as the extra shoulder room allowed her to take part in country activities. The brown tweed fabric and simple skirt are reminiscent of traditional English country wear often worn by the royal family, while the soft unstructured look of the jacket with full sleeves and wide shoulders reflects a contemporary 1980s fashion.

Bill Pashley is a British designer who made 14 dresses for Diana, Princess of Wales. He studied at the Royal College of Art. Like many of her designers he had a friendly relationship with the Princess and was a guest at her wedding.