Farewell to designer who defined Diana's style

PRINCESS Diana's favourite designer Catherine Walker has died following a long battle with cancer. She was 65.

The British-based, French-born designer was responsible for some of the late Princess's most iconic outfits and was one of the UK's leading couture designers.

Walker first started working with the Princess just three months after her marriage to the Prince of Wales and continued to be a favourite until Diana died.

The Princess was buried in a black dress she had purchased from Walker just a few weeks before her death.

Walker had a long-running battle with breast cancer and her family yesterday announced she had finally succumbed to the illness at a hospital near her Sussex home on Thursday. Born in France in 1945, Mrs Walker moved to Britain after meeting and marrying solicitor John Walker.

He died in an accident in 1975, leaving her with two young children to care for. She started studying fashion at night school and selling clothes from a basket on Kings Road in Chelsea during the day.

By 1977 Walker had set up her own business. Just three year's later her reputation was so well established that she become one of a handful of designers the Princess of Wales turned to for help in creating her image as a fashion leader.

Mrs Walker designed more than 1,000 outfits for Diana including day wear, ceremonial outfits for state visits and elegant evening wear.

Scottish fashion expert and founder of the Scottish Fashion Awards Tessa Hartman said: "It is very sad news. Catherine Walker was huge in terms of British fashion brands.

"She was definitely one of the most successful couture designers this country has ever had.

"The relationship between a designer and their muse, and that was the situation in this case, is a mutual relationship.

"Diana had a great sense of style and knew what was right for different occasions and Catherine Walker was able to create the sensual elegance that she became known for.

"The cuts and fabrics that she used were incredibly beautiful and she often used really intricate beading.

"Every designer would have given their right arm to dress Diana, but in their case they became friends and there was a bond and a relationship there.

"In those days there was a real exclusivity about Catherine Walker - she didn't like the limelight, she rarely did interviews, she didn't even do shows - so there was a sense of being part of a close inner circle. They were an excellent comb- ination."

In a statement, Mrs Walker's family said: "Catherine Walker overcame young widowhood and fought cancer twice with enduring bravery.She built one of the most successful British couture brands and at the same time raised a loving family."

Walker, who also designed Lady Helen Taylor's wedding dress, won Designer of the Year for Couture at the British Fashion Awards in 1990 and Designer of the Year for Glamour the following year.

She was also a founding sponsor of the charity Breast Cancer Haven.