By
Valerie Elliott
Last updated at 1:24 AM on 1st May 2011
Kate held clandestine meetings with wedding dress designer Sarah Burton at Henry VIII’s favourite palace, it has been claimed.
She was so determined to keep details about the dress a secret until her wedding day that she discussed ideas with Mrs Burton in a temporary studio at Hampton Court Palace in South-West London
Fashion-industry sources close to Mrs Burton, the creative director of British brand Alexander McQueen, say the tourist attraction was chosen because it offered both privacy and proximity to the Royal School of Needlework.
Secret: Kate was so determined to keep the details of her dress a secret that she had secret meetings with Sarah Burton at Hampton Court
Grand: A temporary studio was set up at Hampton Court Palace because it offered both privacy and proximity to the Royal School of Needlework
The school is situated in the east wing of the palace and was commissioned to provide lace for Kate’s wedding gown and shoes.
Hampton Court was also a convenient stop-over as Kate travelled between her family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, and Prince William’s apartment, which he shares with Prince Harry, at St James’s Palace.
Clarence House has always acknowledged that the new Duchess of Cambridge wished to keep her dress and its designer a surprise.
However, the full extent of the cloak-and-dagger operation became clear only yesterday, with the disclosure that even the network of embroiderers who handcrafted the lace were not told the name of the designer.
They found out it was for the Royal Wedding just minutes before Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey.
Acclaim: Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, pictured with Samantha Cameron. She was chosen because of the fashion house’s beauty of its craftsmanship and respect for the technical construction of clothing
Lifting the veil: Burton makes the final adjustments to ensure her dress is seen at its best at Westminster Abbey
Duty calls: Burton was on-hand to ensure every last detail was perfect for Kate’s walk down the aisle
Dedicated: Embroiderers washed their hands every 30 minutes while making the lace to ensure it was pristine. Needles were replaced every three hours to keep them sharp and clean
Yet what most people will remember about their first glimpse of the bride is the finely executed hand-made lace swathing her shoulders and bodice – a credit to the embroidery team.
The sight of Kate in the exquisite dress prompted Prince William to draw breath at the altar and say to her: ‘You look beautiful.’
Many commentators have likened the simple, classic style of the gown to that worn by Grace Kelly in 1956, who, like Kate, was a commoner who ¬married a prince.
The lace applique, which featured the four floral emblems of the UK – rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock – was made using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.
Part-time needle-workers, aged 19 to 70, laboured tirelessly to complete the order. The process is so time-consuming that it takes even experienced stitchers about an hour to sew an inch.
The dedicated embroiderers washed their hands every 30 minutes while making the lace to ensure it was pristine and replaced their needles every three hours to keep them sharp and clean.
Mrs Burton sourced a series of lace motifs to create a unique design. Each motif, some as small as a five-pence piece, was then crafted with minute stitches every two to three millimetres.
Kate clearly had her own ideas for her bridal gown and the ivory and white satin gazar, long-sleeved dress was the result of a friendly collaboration between the Duchess and Mrs Burton, a popular choice among fashionistas.
The 32-year-old began working with the late Alexander McQueen in 1996 as an intern while she studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.
She quickly impressed and by the time of his suicide last February, she was widely regarded as his second-in-command.
Stunning: Pippa Middleton’s dress was also designed by Sarah Burton and had the same lace trimmings as her sister’s dress
In December, Mrs Burton collected the Outstanding Achievement Award in Fashion Design on his behalf. Samantha Cameron presented her with the accolade at the British Fashion Awards.
Now, having won the ultimate fashion commission, the Manchester-born designer appears to have pulled it off to universal acclaim.
The dress and its train, almost 9ft long, was met with a rapturous response. The ivory satin bodice was narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, a hallmark of McQueen designs.
Hand-cut English Cluny lace and French Chantilly lace were used for the bodice and skirt, which was meant to evoke an opening flower with its satin gazar arches and pleats.
The back was finished with 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops.
Meanwhile, the veil was made of soft, ivory silk tulle and was edged with hand-embroidered flowers.
Kate’s shoes were also hand-crafted by the Burton team in lace and ivory duchesse satin.
Embroiderers from the Royal School of Needlework yesterday spoke of their delight at the response to the dress.
Jenny Adin-Christie, 33, from Chessington, Surrey, said her part in creating the dress had been a ‘wonderful’ experience that vindicated ‘all the years of training as an embroiderer’.
Detail: The lace applique was made by part-time needle-workers aged 19 to 70 who laboured tirelessly to complete the order
Fashion commentator Karen Kay said: ‘The dress was a real showcase for British craftsmanship. It was a girl’s-own vision for her wedding dress but shaped for a globally ¬historic occasion.
‘There was none of the Eighties excess of Diana and Fergie. It had structure and shape but wasn’t too grand. It was wholly appropriate for the occasion.’
Clarence House said fashion house Alexander McQueen had been chosen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for the technical construction of clothing.
Alexander McQueen’s sister Janet last night said: ‘We feel so proud and honoured that Sarah has been chosen. She is a really dear friend and we are over the moon.’
It is widely expected the dress will go on public display and people will be able to see for themselves the detailed work of the lace-makers, but a Clarence House spokesman said no decision had yet been made.
Last night, a spokeswoman for Historic Royal Palaces said: ‘No one in this organisation even knew that the Royal School of Needlework was working on the lace for the dress, so I would be very surprised if Kate Middleton and the designer used one of our meeting rooms.
‘I have never seen her and we are very public.
‘The Queen came to Hampton Court Palace on a private visit to record her Christmas message and she was immediately spotted.’
* Additional reporting by Karen Kay
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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1382348/Royal-Wedding-Kate-Middletons-secret-meetings-dress-designer-Henry-VIIIs-favourite-palace.html
In a dark and hot pedestrian tunnel underneath Manila’s university district, shoemaker Julius Wilfredo Gregorio sweats as he sews rubber soles to a pair of hand-crafted leather boots.
The 37-year-old is aiming to make five pairs for the day and avoid getting buried under a pile of orders from his ever-growing list of cash-strapped fans of fashion.
Since taking over his father’s “Freddie’s Leather Haus” shop in 1991, Gregorio has gained a steady stream of both foreign and local clients who buy his designs that aim to rival those sold in trendy boutiques.
“You don’t have to be a rich action movie star to own top-quality boots and be fashionable,” Gregorio said, his sweat dripping as the battered electric fan in the corner struggled to provide ventilation.
“I can make you shoes that will make you feel like one, all you have to add is a little attitude,” he said, pointing to a picture strategically tacked on his display wall of a local action movie star wearing one of his designs.
Gregorio is one of the movers of the Philippine capital’s underground fashion haven that operates semi-legally in two pedestrian tunnels on Recto boulevard, where you can find many of the city’s universities.
Over the decades, their tiny stalls and cubicles have come to symbolise defiance of an industry obsessed with ultra-expensive signature labels favoured by Manila’s social elite.
The tunnels’ strategic location has helped clothiers and expert craftsmen gain a cult following among mostly college students short on cash but high on fashion sense.
Shops here sell anything from jeans, boots and leather garments, accessories such as beads and bracelets, to school and office uniforms and athletic gear at friendly prices.
Designs patterned after popular American brands are perennial top sellers, although those seeking a personal touch can bring their own designs while most retailers offer their own cutting-edge concepts.
Price tags range from 300 to 400 pesos (six to nine dollars) for a pair of denim jeans, while cowhide boots can cost up to 4,000 pesos (93 dollars).
This season’s hot tickets are colourful basketball jerseys to be worn in summer leagues organised by various athletic organisations in a country addicted to the sport.
“I often go here to get my clothes done,” said Pauline Banigued, a 23-year-old communications major at one of the nearby universities, as she had her measurements taken from a tailor for a blouse.
“They are not exactly fashion runway material, but they suit my taste just the same.”
The shops began operating illegally in the 1970s but city hall long ago gave up the fight to evict them, instead allowing them to thrive informally in exchange for token electricity and rent payments.
The subterranean industry has survived globalisation and the influx of foreign brands sold in air-conditioned department stores and malls that are ubiquitous across the megalopolis of 12 million people.
A powerful storm in 2009 that triggered Manila’s worst flooding in 40 years threatened to shut them down for good with the tunnels completely submerged, but demand for their services remained high and they soon returned.
Veteran tailor Ruben Rosal, 59, began in the tunnels making just denim jeans, but diversified over the years to meet customer demand.
“People go to us and ask us to make them blouses, skirts, even school and office uniforms,” said Rosal, 59, amid the distant rumble of automobile engines overhead and as flourescent lights flickered in his shop.
Rosal learned his craft from his older brother, Danny, who channelled his creative juices from photography to clothing design in the late 1970s.
They named their shop Crazy Horse Jeans to capitalise on spaghetti westerns that were the rage in Hollywood then, and the catchy label stuck.
Rosal’s family now owns four shops, and the earnings from the business have paid for the education of his five children, all of whom now have university degrees.
But just as importantly, Rosal said he believed his retail career had offered something important back to the community.
“I’ve been a farmer and a fisherman in the province, but this is what I do best. I have made clothes for all sorts of people, and I feel happy when they come back because they are satisfied,” he said.
“I always say that good, quality clothes are for everyone. Not just those who have the money to buy them.”
Article source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/underground-fashion-thrives-in-philippines-2277547.html
I’m a little reserved on this. Fluoro colours conjure up images of hi-tech trainers. However, as long as it’s high, sexy and works with a black knee-length pencil skirt or fitted dress, I’d consider giving it a go. Christopher Kane’s sandals are a tamer version: two-tone nude edged in an eye-popping hot pink. Just remember to have a pedicure, as one’s feet will get a lot of attention! JO JONES, FASHION EDITOR
It can work! Fluoro footwear is the easiest way after nail polish to wear this trend. Try it – you won’t regret it. On the catwalk Miu Miu showed delicious fluoro heels and flats, and I have been lusting after a neon heel ever since. I haven’t stopped wearing my New Look peep-toes with neon piping. HELEN SEAMONS, DEPUTY FASHION EDITOR
There are so many sexy neon heels this season. To keep it fresh and chic rather than teenage, mix with a soft neutral palette. Add a belt in neon, but keep it skinny. The key is: don’t
overload! JONATHAN KELSEY, SHOE DESIGNER
Gladiators are acceptable; fluoro heels = too 80s! TWITTER TIP: @MARYKATE138
Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/01/how-to-wear-fluor-shoes
Posted on April 30, 2011 · 
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Filed Under Large Size Heels, Large Size Shoes in the USA, Large Size Womens Sandals/Summer Shoes, Young and Trendy Shoes
Sofft Tremblay Ochre Yellow, a Sandal Shoe for Women $98 from Designer Shoes.
By just looking at the picture, there’s no way of telling that this eye catching mustard yellow wedge sandals is by Sofft known for making comfortable footwear suitable for the matured crowd. First of all, they are stylish and every bit a summer footwear and can be worn by anyone. It would make the perfect casual sandals as it’s citrusy and cheerful.
As they are finished off with two huge buckles, they would instantly draw attention to your feet – which i think is a good thing given the fact that they only cost $98. Other colours include navy, twine tan and black.
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Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MyLovelyBigFeet/~3/UjGrWQQuYRw/
Saturday April 30 2011 by Mark O’Conner and Antonia Kraskowski
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IT was the greatest sartorial wedding of all time – a fashion spectacle.
A worldwide TV audience of more than two billion saw dazzling outfits that covered the colour spectrum.
The Queen wore a lemon yellow, single crepe, wool dress with hand-sown beading at the neck and a matching jacket. Her Angela Kelly-designed outfit was set off with her Queen Mary’s True Lovers Knot diamond brooch, a triple-strand pearl necklace and matching yellow hat.
Mother of the bride Carole Middleton looked elegantly demure in sky-blue dress coat and Sydney day dress by Catherine Walker, a favourite designer of Princess Diana. The matching hat was by Berkshire-based milliner Jane Corbett. The Walker label is still run by her husband after she died of breast cancer last year.
Prince Harry’s on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy wore an aqua green reverse satin dress with matching faille silk jacket, both designed by Alberta Ferretti exclusively for her.
Victoria Beckham dazzled in a royal navy trapeze dress and elegant Philip Treacy pillbox and shoes by Christian Louboutin. Husband David, wearing his OBE, chose a morning suit by Ralph Lauren, with a Treacy top hat.
Elton John chose British designer Richard James of Savile Row for his morning suit, with David Furnish in a Henry Poole outfit.
Princess Anne chose a lilac and lime green floral coat, lilac plain dress and hat. Her daughter Zara Phillips wore a pewter, bow-back, mandarin-collar dress coat by Paul Costelloe. Camilla wore a champagne, long-line jacket over a drop-waisted cream dress by Anna Valentine, who also designed her own royal wedding outfit, with a Treacy hat.
Fashion savvy princesses Beatrice and Eugenie looked stunning, Beatrice in a dusky-pink dress coat in Valentino couture and Eugenie in a cornflower-blue puffball dress and floral pattern jacket by Vivienne Westwood. They both wore Jimmy Choo shoes and hats by Philip Treacy.
Navy was a popular colour. Knight of the Garter Rowan Atkinson’s wife, Sunetra, chose it for a belted suit with clutch bag and pink floral Jane Taylor hat. Society girl Tara Palmer Tomkinson was resplendent in a royal blue dress by Deborah Milner with studded peeptoe slingbacks in the same shade by Nicholas Kirkwood. She also wore a Treacy hat.
The lion’s share of hats were by Philip Treacy, with 36 creations, and Stephen Jones, with 12.
Prime Minister’s wife Samantha Cameron defied experts who said it would be a gaffe not to wear a hat in the Queen’s presence. She chose a headpiece and necklace by Erickson Beamon for Erdem and teamed them with an elegant teal £495 dress by Burberry London and £75 Aldo shoes.
However, etiquette bible Debrett’s states: “Hats are traditional, but by no means compulsory, at weddings.”
Speaker’s wife Sally Bercow was as flamboyant as ever in a knee-length split dress with plunging neckline. In heels and a black fascinator, she towered over husband John.
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Todays best TV right here for you at the Express. See Guide
Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/243832/Royal-Wedding-Fashion-spectacular-with-every-colour-of-the-rainbow
Calling all Fashion Jurors: Grazia needs your thoughts on the Royal Wedding outfits! Get commenting below, and remember, your verdict could appear in next week’s issue!
First for your consideration is Princess Catherine‘s chief bridesmaid, Pippa Middleton. Like her big sis, Pippa opted for an Alexander McQueen dress, designed and created by Sarah Burton. The ivory satin-based crepe gown with a cowl front has the same button detail and lace trims as the bride’s beautiful dress, but does it get your approval?
Catherine and Pippa’s mother, Carole Middleton impressed us with this sky blue Catherine Walker ensemble, but were you expecting more from the Mother of the Bride? Under that wool crepe coatdress, her dress featured pleated sleeves and pockets as well as braided trimming at the waist. As for the headgear, it comes courtesy of Berkshire-based designer Jane Corbett.
Bringing a splash of colour to the proceedings, it’s HRH The Queen in a delightfully spring-appropriate primrose yellow outfit. Designed by Angela Kelly, the crepe wool dress had hand-sewn beading at the neck in the shape of sunrays. Over this, she wore a matching tailored coat. So are you rating or hating?
Next up, we bring you Camilla – aka: Duchess of Cornwall – wearing a Anna Valentine creation. Of course, Valentine was the lady who designed Camilla’s wedding dress when she married Prince Charles back in 2005, remember? We’re loving that she mixed it up with those Jimmy Choo heels – are you?
And we can’t forget Wills – or should that be the Duke of Cambridge? He had us melting with this Prince Charming act and that bright red get-up certainly helped, dontcha think? The Colonel of the Irish Guards uniform with a sash and gold sword slings was fitted by Kashket and Partners and teamed with a Forage Cap.
So what are your thoughts, readers? Love or hate, we want to hear it so let loose in the box below…
Article source: http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2011/04/29/you--the-fashion-jury--rate-the-royal-wedding-outfits.htm
Calling all Fashion Jurors: Grazia needs your thoughts on the Royal Wedding outfits! Get commenting below, and remember, your verdict could appear in next week’s issue!
First for your consideration is Princess Catherine‘s chief bridesmaid, Pippa Middleton. Like her big sis, Pippa opted for an Alexander McQueen dress, designed and created by Sarah Burton. The ivory satin-based crepe gown with a cowl front has the same button detail and lace trims as the bride’s beautiful dress, but does it get your approval?
Catherine and Pippa’s mother, Carole Middleton impressed us with this sky blue Catherine Walker ensemble, but were you expecting more from the Mother of the Bride? Under that wool crepe coatdress, her dress featured pleated sleeves and pockets as well as braided trimming at the waist. As for the headgear, it comes courtesy of Berkshire-based designer Jane Corbett.
Bringing a splash of colour to the proceedings, it’s HRH The Queen in a delightfully spring-appropriate primrose yellow outfit. Designed by Angela Kelly, the crepe wool dress had hand-sewn beading at the neck in the shape of sunrays. Over this, she wore a matching tailored coat. So are you rating or hating?
Next up, we bring you Camilla – aka: Duchess of Cornwall – wearing a Anna Valentine creation. Of course, Valentine was the lady who designed Camilla’s wedding dress when she married Prince Charles back in 2005, remember? We’re loving that she mixed it up with those Jimmy Choo heels – are you?
And we can’t forget Wills – or should that be the Duke of Cambridge? He had us melting with this Prince Charming act and that bright red get-up certainly helped, dontcha think? The Colonel of the Irish Guards uniform with a sash and gold sword slings was fitted by Kashket and Partners and teamed with a Forage Cap.
So what are your thoughts, readers? Love or hate, we want to hear it so let loose in the box below…
Article source: http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2011/04/29/you--the-fashion-jury--rate-the-royal-wedding-outfits.htm
Among the favorite appearances at the Royal bash were Pippa Middleton, Kate Middleton’s sister and chief maid of honour, who wore an amazing floor-length white dress. It seems that good taste runs in the family as with such a dress Pippa captured a generous amount of attention and positive critiques.
Pippa’s silk white dress glided around her slender figure and showed off her feminine forms in a very elegant manner. The font of the dress revealed a lovely subtle draping cleavage while the back was kept simple, with just a few silk covered buttons following the spine-line. The dress was also designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, but in a much simpler manner, so it didn’t overshadow the bride.
Another great pair who made a stunning impression at the Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey was David and Victoria Beckham. The British couple opted for a classic timeless style, Victoria selecting a gorgeous baggy navy boat neck tunic dress from her latest fashion collection, AW 2011. To complete her stunning look, pregnant Victoria rocked a gorgeous pair of custom, super-high Christian Louboutin shoes and a lovely Phillip Treacy hat to spice-up her simple sleek ponytail hairstyle.
Article source: http://www.fashion-style.becomegorgeous.com/celebrity_style/royal_wedding_guests_outfits_and_fashion-4415.html
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