ROYAL WEDDING
Prince William & Kate Middleton
Kate MIddleton was married to Prince William today in a white gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. According to a release from Clarence House:
“The lace applique for the bodice and skirt was handmade by the Royal School of Needlework, with individual flowers hand-cut from lace (in shapes of roses, thistle, daffodils and shamrocks). The dress is made of ivory and white satin gazar with a skirt in the shape of an opening flower. The satin bodice, narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips in a McQueen signature, is based on Victorian corsetry. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons.
The veil, made of ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, is held in place by a 1936 Cartier tiara, lent to Ms. Middleton by the Queen. (It was bought for her mother by the Duke of York and presented to Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.) Ms. Middleton’s earrings—shaped like oak leaves with a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the center—are by Robinson Pelham. The shoes are also by McQueen.”
What Designer Think About The Dress?
"I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship. Alexander McQueen's designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day . Catherine looked absolutely stunning today, and the team at Alexander McQueen are very proud of what we have created." Sarah Burton
"She is very elegant. The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor. It almost reminds me of (Queen) Elizabeth's wedding, the royal weddings in the Fifties. The proportion of the train is good. The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot." Karl Lagerfeld .
"I like the dress very much, simpler than expected: a combination just in between 1956 Grace Kelly and 1947 Queen Elizabeth dress. I love the modest veil with the Queen Mother's Thirties scroll tiara and balanced volume of the whole gown. She's radiant; she never was so beautiful." Christian Lacroix
"The veil is a little flat, but because she has such a lovely face, she can afford to wear it this way. She is very pretty."Hubert de Givenchy.
"McQueen was a brilliant choice. The choice of the label and the style of the dress was a very clever mix between edgy fashion and tradition - all in a very British way. You could see references to Grace Kelly or Queen Elizabeth's dresses, but in a simpler, more modern way. I loved her hair down. It looked perfectly natural and noble. Truly royal." Antonio Marras of Kenzo .
"Very much in a royal tradition, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth's - and a little bit Grace Kelly. She looks happy, radiant and natural." Peter Copping of Nina Ricci .
“The dress was absolutely perfect for her. The important thing was that she looked as though she felt very comfortable and moved very well in it. The dress didn’t move. I loved the long sleeves, the lace, the short veil with the little tiara and her hair. If I have to rate her from one to 10, I give her an 11. It was beyond.” Carolina Herrera
“The dress was extremely elegant. For me, it wasn’t so much about the dress though, it was all about her. She was the most beautiful bride in the world.” Donna Karan
“The fit was amazing. It looked like it was second skin the way the lace layed so well. I was really impressed. It’s funny in Sarah Burton’s fall show for McQueen, she had five or six dresses at the end. I remember thinking, ‘What’s that about?’ The wedding must have been in the back of her mind.” Nicole Miller
“The dress was beautiful. I think she is irresistible, she is so beautiful. I am happy it was McQueen. It was absolutely the right thing to do. They made [the dress] simple, so it wasn’t costumey but a beautiful evening gown. I was happy for Sarah, happy for the Met, and happy for McQueen. Diane Von Furstenberg
“This was great for Sarah Burton, and whether it was intentional or accidental, everything worked. It is amazing and wonderful for someone who does not usually do wedding dresses to show such restraint. The dress was cut beautifully, in a subdued way. I found the fitted lace bodice and the fairly large skirt, without tiers or technical draping, just right — a modern version of a tradition that will never be outdated. I would have preferred a closed neckline, however. To me, the veil, often an afterthought, is as important as the dress. Kate’s was perfect — not decorated, trimmed or gathered. And because the blusher had no volume, no wrinkles were over the face. It added mystery and allowed the bride to arrive covered and leave with her face framed. I did not think she would go fashion-forward but rather to send a message far beyond fashion: [William and Kate] want to be taken seriously; they know they will become the King and Queen of England and are up to the job of embracing everything that comes with the monarchy. And with that, naturally, there had to be some pomp and circumstance — but it was all with great dignity and discipline, reflecting the British culture. Yet it was so romantic and seemed to reflect their love for, and future with, one another.” Vera Wang
