Kate Middleton Designed Royal Wedding Dress Herself, Sources Say
The chosen designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress may not have technically “designed” it at all.
According to the Daily Mail, the royal bride-to-be designed her own wedding dress then enlisted someone to bring her vision to life.
An “impeccably placed source” told the British newspaper Middleton’s inspiration came from the Renaissance period—which she studied in Florence—and her History of Art degree from St. Andrews.
No fashion novice, the former accessories buyer for British retailer Jigsaw will reportedly wear an ivory and satin gown with pearl-button detail and a 10-foot train.
The design also includes a “nod” to Lady Diana’s Emanuel wedding dress. While details of the tribute have not been revealed, one thing is for certain: It won’t involve “flounce.”
As FashionEtc previously reported, the designer tapped to create what will be the Wedding Dress of the Century is rumored to be Libélula’s Sophie Cranston.
Cranston won the Designer of the Year Award at London’s Graduate Fashion week in 1999, worked for Alexander McQueen (whose creative director, Sarah Burton, has been a favorite to design Kate Middleton’s wedding gown), and co-founded Temperley London with Alice Temperley in 2000 before launching her own line in 2002.
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A friend of Middleton’s told the Daily Mail, “All we have been told is that the dressmaker is fairly unknown and from a relatively small design house. But make no mistake, whoever’s name emerges on the day, this is very much Catherine’s dress.”
It is also being reported that after the wedding, the dress will be auctioned off for charity, with proceeds going to a range of organizations including the Prince’s Trust.
The future princess is expected to accessorize with diamond-and-pearl earrings—it is not known whether they fall under the "something old," "something new," or "something borrowed" category—along with pieces from the Queen’s collection, including a diamond tiara.
Kate, along with her mother, Carole, and sister, Pippa, were spotted in the VIP area of Selfridges’ shoe department looking at heels from the luxury brand Gina. (Maybe Kate isn’t taking Bruno Frisoni’s advice to wear flats.)
While Pippa Middleton’s maid-of-honor dress designer is still unknown (though a visit to Alice Temperley’s London studio has caused much speculation), the Sunday Times U.K. reports (via Vogue U.K.) that the bridesmaids, all children, will wear dresses by Nicki Macfarlane.
For more on Kate Middleton and Prince William, check out our Royal Wedding Watch.
