The woman behind Princess Diana's iconic knitwear on losing it all—and finding her designs again

Decades after her whimsical, vividly patterned sweaters …

Decades after her whimsical, vividly patterned sweaters graced Princess Diana and Olivia Newton-John, knitwear designer Liz Newman found herself standing in a gallery surrounded by the very creations she believed had vanished for good. The pieces, based on her original patterns from the 1980s, now hung framed on the walls, a testament to a career that once glittered—and then crumbled.

Newman’s rise in the fashion world was meteoric. Her playful, boldly colored jumpers became a signature of the decade, worn by the most photographed women of the era. Diana was spotted in one of her designs, and Newton-John wore another on stage, catapulting Newman to a level of fame most independent designers only dream of. Orders poured in from boutiques and department stores across the globe.

But behind the scenes, the business was fragile. A series of bad partnerships and mounting debts slowly eroded what she had built. By the early 1990s, Newman was forced to liquidate her company. She lost her home, her savings, and, seemingly, her life’s work. The original patterns and samples were scattered, sold off, or simply thrown away. For nearly three decades, she believed they were gone forever.

Then, out of the blue, a collector who

Then, out of the blue, a collector who had acquired a trove of vintage knitwear reached out. He had stumbled upon a stack of Newman’s original pattern cards and decided to recreate the sweaters. The resulting exhibition, now on display, reunites Newman with the work that once defined her—and offers a bittersweet coda to a story of loss and rediscovery.

Walking through the gallery, Newman paused in front of a particularly intricate piece. “I remember sketching this in my tiny London studio,” she said, her voice soft with memory. “I never thought I’d see it again. It’s like meeting an old friend.” The exhibit has drawn crowds of nostalgic visitors, many of whom recall the sweaters from magazine covers and red carpets.

For Newman, the revival is not about a comeback. She has moved on, working as a textile consultant and teaching young designers. But the exhibition has given her a chance to reconcile with the past. “Losing everything taught me what truly matters,” she reflected. “It’s not the fame or the money. It’s the joy of creating something that outlives you.”

The collection will remain on view through the

The collection will remain on view through the spring, offering a rare glimpse into a moment when fashion felt playful and unguarded—and honoring the woman who turned a simple knit into a cultural touchstone.