Swedish model Elsa Hosk sparks backlash for recreating Princess Diana's iconic revenge dress for Halloween

Swedish model Elsa Hosk sparks backlash for recreating Princess Diana's iconic revenge dress for Halloween

Swedish model Elsa Hosk is under fire after dressing as Princess Diana for Halloween, a choice some have called "disrespectful."

The 35-year-old surprised followers with a series of Instagram photos where she posed as the late royal, who died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.

Hosk recreated Diana's famous "Revenge Dress," the striking Christina Stambolian black silk gown that Diana wore on the evening Prince Charles publicly admitted to his affair with Camilla, now Queen Consort. The gown, known for its asymmetric ruched bodice and side sash, turned heads when Diana first wore it.

For the look, Hosk included Diana’s signature sapphire, pearl, and diamond choker, matching the late princess’s engagement ring, and added red nails for accuracy.

She posed in a setting reminiscent of Diana’s original look, replicating her walk, and completed the transformation with a similar bracelet, black pointed heels, and a short blonde wig.

Hosk shared two posts, a video and photos, which she captioned: “Wishing you an ICONIC Halloween” and “The people's princess”.

The Princess of Wales in her ‘revenge dress’ (PA Archive)
The Princess of Wales in her ‘revenge dress’ (PA Archive)

Some fans, however, were quick to criticise the Halloween costume, calling it "disrespectful" and "horrible." Reacting to viral posts on X, disappointed users commented: “It risks trivializing her legacy and the challenges she faced. Costumes should be fun, not a reminder of someone’s tragic life.”

“Kinda disrespectful (sic),” another penned.

A third wrote: “Can we please stop these imitations of princess Diana and let her soul rest in peace…”

“So Princess Diana cosplay for a Halloween party is horrible,” another remarked.

Others, however, praised the model for her costume, with one commenting under her Instagram post: “Elsa Hosk dressed as Princess Diana in her iconic “revenge dress” for halloween — SHE WON!!!”

“elsa hosk as princess diana for halloween, so iconic!!!” another penned. A third added: “Omg she did her justice!”

“Oh I can't believe what I see. This is fantastic!!” a fan shared.

The model worked with Victoria's Secret for years, gracing the brand's annual fashion show from 2011 to 2018. Her modeling portfolio includes campaigns for Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Ungaro, H&M, Anna Sui, Lilly Pulitzer, and Guess, as well as cover appearances for Vogue and Elle.

Hosk has been with British businessman Tom Daly since 2015, and they welcomed their daughter in February 2021.