Kim Kardashian oozed Hollywood and royal at the 2024 LACMA Art+Film Gala on Saturday, November 2, wearing a piece of jewelry from Princess Diana’s collection.
Kardashian, 44, wore the late Diana’s iconic Attallah cross to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, looking glamorous in a low-cut white Gucci gown and cream cape. The diamond-encrusted amethyst Attallah cross pendant was styled with a pearl and silver choker and another pearl necklace layered underneath.
The jewels were accentuated by the dress’ plunging neckline and Kardashian’s cropped haircut, which she styled in a 1960s bubble flip with one curl brushing against her forehead. She also rocked smoky eyes and a nude lip.
The SKIMS founder was clearly proud of her look, as she shared videos and photos of the ensemble on her Instagram Stories.
The late Princess of Wales, who tragically died in an August 1997 car crash at the age of 36, most famously wore the pendant on a long pearl chain in 1987 at Birthright’s London charity gala — which aimed to protect human rights during pregnancy and childbirth. At the time, she paired the piece — originally purchased by British businessman Naim Attallah — with a Catherine Walker and Co. Victorian velvet royal purple gown. The Renaissance-style look was one of her most memorable.
Kardashian purchased the Attallah cross via Sotheby’s auction Royal and Noble sale, which opened in January 2023. The stunning piece was valued at around $98,668 to $148,002, with Kardashian ultimately attaining the pendant for $200,000.
According to Sotheby’s, the necklace was one of Diana’s “favorite” pieces. “Through Attallah’s friendship with Princess Diana, he loaned it to her several times over a number of years,” Sotheby’s wrote via Instagram at the time of the sale. “It is understood that the cross was only ever worn by the Princess and following her death, it was never seen in public again until now.”
Royal expert Valentine Lowe speculated on how the royal family might have reacted to Kardashian’s purchase of the piece, exclusively telling Us Weekly last year, “I think they probably laugh at it. Laugh about it over the breakfast table and move on. [They] certainly wouldn’t be annoyed, I [don’t] think.”
Kardashian was previously spotted wearing the cross in a photo shared by Maison Margiela’s Image Director, Lexy Roche, on Instagram Stories last month. She rocked the archival piece with a custom John Galliano for Margiela black and purple tulle gown.
According to Sotheby’s head of jewelry Kristian Spofforth, the pendant marked a turning point for Diana as she experimented with her personal style in the ‘80s.
“Jewelry owned or worn by the late Princess Diana very rarely comes on to the market, especially a piece such as The Attallah cross” Spofforth said. “To some extent, this unusual pendant is symbolic of the princess’s growing self-assurance in her sartorial and jewelry choices, at that particular moment in her life.”
And there’s no denying Kardashian is branching out with her own style, as well, as she’s recently been seen outfitted in some daring, fashion-forward looks including a Diesel D-Rooney nude slip dress and a vintage Thierry Mugler 1998 corset bodysuit.
The LACMA Art+Film Gala honored artist Simone Leigh and filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, and the star-studded guest list included the likes of Kaia Gerber, Blake Lively, Colman Domingo, Dev Patel, Anna Wintour, Troye Sivan, Charli XCX, Cara Delevingne, Ricky Martin, Chloë Sevigny, Javier Bardem and Andrew Garfield.