Iconic Item: Princess Diana’s Virgin Atlantic Sweatshirt Is Back on Sale

Price – from $65

Airline Virgin Atlantic, renowned for its distinctive style and attention to detail, is bringing back one of the most iconic items of British pop culture – the dark blue «Fly Virgin Atlantic» sweatshirt, made famous by Princess Diana in the 1990s.

The replica was released to mark the 30th anniversary of the moment Diana first wore the sweatshirt – on November 20, 1995. The model, which combines British aesthetics, nostalgia, and practicality, sold out instantly. Due to high demand, the sweatshirt is now available again in the Virgin Atlantic Retail Therapy online store, operated by Tourvest.

The sweatshirt is priced at $80 for adults and $65 for children. From each unit sold, $14 will be donated to the charity Save the Children, which helps children affected by humanitarian crises around the world.

The story of this piece began in the 1980s when Richard Branson gifted the sweatshirt to Princess Diana. She immediately loved it, and it quickly became part of her everyday style: Diana wore it to the gym, paired with cycling shorts – a combination that remains fashionable today.

According to Popsugar, there are two explanations for why the princess almost always appeared in the gym wearing this sweatshirt. One version suggests it was simply her favorite. Another theory claims Diana deliberately chose the same outfit to make the paparazzi’s work more difficult: repetitive shots sold poorly and reduced press interest.

This theory is supported by her personal trainer, Jenny Rivett, who later received the original sweatshirt. She said that Diana believed there were far more important issues in the world than discussing every one of her appearances and outfits, which is why she chose to «disarm» the media.

In 2019, Princess Diana’s original sweatshirt was auctioned off for $53,532.

Photo: Instagram @firstclassjerk