Princess Kate's dress boosts Burton's rep
May 1, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CATHERINE Middleton's elegant wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen set the world abuzz.
Clarence House said Middleton chose the label "for the beauty of its craftsmanship."
"Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work."
Clarence House noted that the dress's design "pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts tradition. Ms Burton's design draws on this heritage, giving the cut and the intricate embellishment a distinctive, contemporary and feminine character."
The dress featured a lace appliqueed bodice and skirt, along with long lace sleeves and a high lace collar. The lace was hand-made at London's Royal School of Needlework based at Hampton Court Palace.
The design was appliqueed with individual flowers that were hand cut from lace, and then hand engineered onto ivory silk tulle. The bodice and skirt were made from hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, while ivory and white satin gazar was also used in the body of the dress and its skirts. The ivory satin bodice, narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, drew on the tradition of Victorian corsetry. The train measured eight feet long.
Middleton also wore a full veil, made from layers of soft ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers. The veil was held in place with a Cartier halo tiara, lent to Middleton by Queen Elizabeth. The tiara was made by Cartier in 1936, and was presented to the Queen on her 18th birthday, when she was still Princess Elizabeth.
It was presented to her by her mother, who originally owned the tiara. Middleton wore earrings in the design of diamond-set oak leaves, designed by Robinson Pelham, a gift to Middleton from her parents.
Her shoes were hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen, in ivory duchesse satin with hand embroidered lace. Middleton's bouquet, meanwhile, was made up of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William and hyacinth.
London was in a party mood from early in the morning, with hordes of people congregating along the Mall, in Trafalgar Square, in front of Westminster Abbey and even in Hyde Park, where huge screens had been set up for people to watch the event.
"Kate is a role model for our young girls," mused a bystander as the tension built up in Trafalgar Square prior to the bride's arrival. "It's rare to have someone young and beautiful who dresses so elegantly and demurely that I think it'll set a new standard."
And the standard was certainly set with a crowd who'd dressed up to the nines to come and watch the wedding. Flamboyant hats and confections of fascinators bobbed vigorously as bucks fizz was poured and strawberries were passed around, and though the sky was gray the crowd was anything but. Cross-dressing queens and painted ladies, groups of girls painting each other's nails in patriotic colors, and white-haired gents sporting golden crowns jostled for a view.
Two octogenarians from Minnesota had plundered the souvenir shops and were sporting Will and Kate paraphernalia top to toe, from the ribbons in their blue-rinsed hair to the faux sapphire ring on their fingers. "We got a little carried away," they confessed, but they planned to buy more sophisticated souvenirs for the folks who stayed at home.
The main topic on the tips of thousands of tongues was The Dress. The rampant rumors pointing to Sarah Burton meant most people were hoping to see a McQueen dress. Others were hoping that the honor would be bestowed on a lesser known designer. "Kate has the chance to change somebody's life with the dress she chooses," said a visiting student from Philadelphia, who had traveled with friends especially for the event, "so I want to see her wearing a niche English designer that isn't necessarily well known. "Others thought McQueen might be on the flamboyant side for a princess-in-waiting who has already earned praise for her conservative dress. "It's never been her style to take risks," said another onlooker, "so why would she start on her wedding day?"
But whatever people were hoping for, all expectations were fulfilled - and surpassed - the moment the elegant lace decolletage of the bride was first glimpsed in the back of the car taking her to Westminster Abbey from the Goring Hotel. Ripples of approval built up to rapturous applause and even a few high fives from keen fashion followers when the bride stepped out of the car and the designer was announced. A few raised eyebrows from some French spectators about the appropriateness of the virginal veil covering her face, but apart from that the crowd was unanimous in its praise.
"We were watching two young people in love - young people who just happened to be royal," said Buki Obakin, whose husband is chief executive of Prince William's charity Centrepoint. "The atmosphere was really warm, which is not surprising because when you meet William, he makes you feel like a friend."
"It was a joyful ceremony, and very simple really," said Monica Main, one of Queen Elizabeth's personal representatives in Scotland. "Catherine's dress was very plain but wonderful."
Clarence House said Middleton chose the label "for the beauty of its craftsmanship."
"Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work."
Clarence House noted that the dress's design "pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts tradition. Ms Burton's design draws on this heritage, giving the cut and the intricate embellishment a distinctive, contemporary and feminine character."
The dress featured a lace appliqueed bodice and skirt, along with long lace sleeves and a high lace collar. The lace was hand-made at London's Royal School of Needlework based at Hampton Court Palace.
The design was appliqueed with individual flowers that were hand cut from lace, and then hand engineered onto ivory silk tulle. The bodice and skirt were made from hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, while ivory and white satin gazar was also used in the body of the dress and its skirts. The ivory satin bodice, narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, drew on the tradition of Victorian corsetry. The train measured eight feet long.
Middleton also wore a full veil, made from layers of soft ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers. The veil was held in place with a Cartier halo tiara, lent to Middleton by Queen Elizabeth. The tiara was made by Cartier in 1936, and was presented to the Queen on her 18th birthday, when she was still Princess Elizabeth.
It was presented to her by her mother, who originally owned the tiara. Middleton wore earrings in the design of diamond-set oak leaves, designed by Robinson Pelham, a gift to Middleton from her parents.
Her shoes were hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen, in ivory duchesse satin with hand embroidered lace. Middleton's bouquet, meanwhile, was made up of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William and hyacinth.
London was in a party mood from early in the morning, with hordes of people congregating along the Mall, in Trafalgar Square, in front of Westminster Abbey and even in Hyde Park, where huge screens had been set up for people to watch the event.
"Kate is a role model for our young girls," mused a bystander as the tension built up in Trafalgar Square prior to the bride's arrival. "It's rare to have someone young and beautiful who dresses so elegantly and demurely that I think it'll set a new standard."
And the standard was certainly set with a crowd who'd dressed up to the nines to come and watch the wedding. Flamboyant hats and confections of fascinators bobbed vigorously as bucks fizz was poured and strawberries were passed around, and though the sky was gray the crowd was anything but. Cross-dressing queens and painted ladies, groups of girls painting each other's nails in patriotic colors, and white-haired gents sporting golden crowns jostled for a view.
Two octogenarians from Minnesota had plundered the souvenir shops and were sporting Will and Kate paraphernalia top to toe, from the ribbons in their blue-rinsed hair to the faux sapphire ring on their fingers. "We got a little carried away," they confessed, but they planned to buy more sophisticated souvenirs for the folks who stayed at home.
The main topic on the tips of thousands of tongues was The Dress. The rampant rumors pointing to Sarah Burton meant most people were hoping to see a McQueen dress. Others were hoping that the honor would be bestowed on a lesser known designer. "Kate has the chance to change somebody's life with the dress she chooses," said a visiting student from Philadelphia, who had traveled with friends especially for the event, "so I want to see her wearing a niche English designer that isn't necessarily well known. "Others thought McQueen might be on the flamboyant side for a princess-in-waiting who has already earned praise for her conservative dress. "It's never been her style to take risks," said another onlooker, "so why would she start on her wedding day?"
But whatever people were hoping for, all expectations were fulfilled - and surpassed - the moment the elegant lace decolletage of the bride was first glimpsed in the back of the car taking her to Westminster Abbey from the Goring Hotel. Ripples of approval built up to rapturous applause and even a few high fives from keen fashion followers when the bride stepped out of the car and the designer was announced. A few raised eyebrows from some French spectators about the appropriateness of the virginal veil covering her face, but apart from that the crowd was unanimous in its praise.
"We were watching two young people in love - young people who just happened to be royal," said Buki Obakin, whose husband is chief executive of Prince William's charity Centrepoint. "The atmosphere was really warm, which is not surprising because when you meet William, he makes you feel like a friend."
"It was a joyful ceremony, and very simple really," said Monica Main, one of Queen Elizabeth's personal representatives in Scotland. "Catherine's dress was very plain but wonderful."
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