Shannen Findlay
Beauty & Style

Iconic or imposter? Model transforms to recreate Princess Diana’s most famous looks

Before the world-famous Kardashians or social media influencers creating trends and selling lifestyles simply by looking good - there was Princess Diana.

The late royal, who passed away in 1997, was renowned not just for her brutal marriage breakdown with Prince Charles but for her incredible fashion sense. 

From the iconic “revenge dress” to the 90’s athleisure that she effortlessly finessed - Princess Di lead trends and fashion revolutions that are still deeply admired today. 

Now, model Hailey Bieber, wife of singer Justin Bieber, has gone viral for her ultimate sartorial tribute to the royal in a new editorial for Vogue Paris. 

The shoot, photographed by Gregory Harris, and styled by Virginie Benarroch, aimed to channel the the royal’s casual elegance by posing her most iconic shots. 

Bieber recreated the the princess; famous blazered look - a baseball cap, blazer, sweatshirt and light washed jeans tucked into brown cowboy boots. 

The ensemble made headlines around the world after it was photographed at a polo match in Windsor in 1988. 

The 22-year-old model showed off the gorgeous images on her instagram account, and praised the late Princess for inspiring her own wardrobe. 

"[All] credit and inspo to the amazingly beautiful and iconically stylish Princess Diana who I’ve looked to for style inspiration for as long as I can remember," she wrote in her caption. "Thank you for leaving behind such an iconic fashion and style legacy."

The reaction to Bieber’s shoot has been mixed, with some labelling it as “tasteless.”

“This feels in wildly poor taste considering all of the Diana shots were taken by paparazzi,” one user wrote. 

“Go a different route if you want to pay tribute.”

“Nobody compares to Princess Diana and there’s that,” another added. 

Another person wrote they thought it was a “strange” idea. 

“Brave of her to do this photoshoot. I have no problem with Hailey, but I don’t see why anyone would think this is a good idea - they have nothing in common.”

However, others took to social media to praise Hailey’s tribute. 

“I think she looks cute and it's a great way to remember Diana!” one user commented. 

“Strong princess vibes here,” one comment read. 

Another added: “This shoot is everything! She looks incredible.”

Princess Di pass

Scroll through the gallery above to see Hailey Bieber’s tribute shots to Princess Diana.

Tags:
model, princess diana, hailey bieber, famous, celebrities, beauty, style