Jacques Azagury was one of Princess Diana's favorite designers for red carpet events, so it came as no surprise when the makers of the new Diana biopic asked him to dress Naomi Watts in the much-derided forthcoming film about her life, which opens later this week in the U.S. He tells Tom Sykes about the challenges of dressing the world's most famous woman, how he wasn't surprised the movie got slammed by the critics -- and why he loves it anyway.
Jacques was designing for Diana primarily in the last five years of her life, and whenever a dress was made for Diana, Azagury would make a copy for his archive. This famous blue dress, the shortest dress Diana ever worn in London, and seen on much of the advertising for the film (see next slide) is one of those replicas, altered slightly for Naomi Watts.
Diana wore it to the premiere of Swan Lake in June 1997.
The poster dress is a short ice blue bugle bead square neck dress with bow detail. This is an exact replica worn by Princess Diana to the opening of Swan Lake at Royal Albert Hall in London, June 1997. In the movie Naomi Watts wears this dress in the Christies auction scene.
Naomi is spookily like Diana. How did Jacques find the experience? "At first I was a bit apprehensive as it was 16 years ago, and I have moved on so much, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to it. The first time Naomi walked through door I knew it would be a challenge - Naomi is much shorter, not 5’ 10” like Diana was for one thing - but when we tried on Diana’s replicas, it was extraordinary. She was transforming in front of me into Diana."
A movie poster of Diana is seen positioned somewhat inconsiderately near the Pont de l'Alma tunnel (R) where Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a road crash in 1997, on September 28, 2013.
"I was expecting bad reviews," says Azagury of the panning the movie received in the UK. "I wasn’t upset. But I saw the movie and I quite enjoyed it to be honest, I got tearful at the end. Its basically a dramatization, based around the events of her life. And what it shows very clearly is that just because you live in a palace and have jewels, doesn't mean you will be happy. Diana, like all of us, needed love in her life."
This glamorous short halter-top dress evokes Diana's red carpet persona.
"I only had good times with Diana," says Jacques, "And that is how I recall her. I was never involved with anything else. I did the nice things with Diana, the fun stuff. She was delightful and was one of my easiest clients. We were both on the same page regarding dresses, and she always had a specific idea for the function, she would not come in and browse."
Courtesy Jacques Azagury
Naomi Watts as Princess Diana in the previous dress on set.
It's easy to forget sometimes that Diana was a giant Sloane until you see a piece like this which reminds you.
Courtesy Jacques Azagury
"Diana and I were friends, but I never got very personal with her, " says Jacques. "We would read the papers together, chat, and do what we did, but I never delved into personal life."
"She was very strong in some respects and vulnerable in others," says Jacques, "She had so many facets to her life."
This floor length black Chantilly lace dress with train and bow detail is an exact replica of a birthday gift given to Princess Diana by Jacques Azagury in June 1997. It was worn by the princess to the Tate Gallery's Centenary dinner, which was her last official public appearance before she went to Paris.
"I had just got back in from a night out, and a girlfriend called me to tell me the news. I had to make her repeat it five times, and then I switched the tv on and I saw it. If there was one thing I would never ever have considered it was Diana dying at such a young age."
Naomi channels Diana perfectly in this publicity shot for the film, wearing the dress from the previous slide.
Floor length blond gold micro-sequin dress with train and signature cross- back top. This dress was designed by Azagury specifically for the movie. It was inspired by the famous Patrick Demarchelier photo of Princess Diana wearing a similar Azagury dress. In the movie Naomi Watts wears this dress in the Royal Opera House scene.
Courtesy Jacques Azagury
Naomi Watts on set in Croatia in the dress from the previous slide.
