Diana’s favourite fashion designer dies

Fashion designer Catherine Walker, a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales, has died at the age of 65, her family said yesterday.

She fought a long battle with cancer before passing away at a hospital near her Sussex home.

Born in France, Ms Walker made a name for herself in Britain as one of the country’s leading couture designers.

She provided Princess Diana with many of her most iconic outfits, having first worked with her three months after her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. The Princess was buried in a black dress designed by Ms Walker that she had bought in the weeks leading up to her death.

In a statement, her 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. Catherine Walker has dressed many of the world’s most beautiful women.”

Ms Walker studied philosophy at the Universities of Lille and Aix-en Province, then moved to London after meeting solicitor John Walker.

He died suddenly in an accident in 1975, leaving his wife to raise their two young daughters alone.

She started studying fashion at night school the following year, selling clothes from a basket on Kings Road in Chelsea during the day, and then set up her own business.

Ms Walker, who also designed a wedding dress for Lady Helen Taylor, was unusual for staying out of the limelight during her career, choosing not to show her collections on the runway.

Her designs spoke for themselves however, with Ms Walker named Designer of the Year for Couture at the British Fashion Awards in 1990 and Designer of the Year for Glamour the following year.

Her family said she suffered failing health in recent years, but despite that, hand-picked and trained a design team under the brand name Catherine Walker & Co.

They said: “With this team, she developed a portfolio of designs through to 2012 to carry forward her philosophy and the unique handwriting of her brand into the 21st century.”

She had suffered from breast cancer and was a founding sponsor of charity Breast Cancer Haven.