Deborah Chan
Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in 2018 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, wearing a backless wedding dress designed by British fashion house Peter Pilotto. The dress was designed by Pilotto and his co-founder, Belgian-Peruvian designer Christopher De Vos. The dress featured embroidered symbols that paid homage to the couple's love for Balmoral, the bride's maternal family, and their home. Princess Eugenie chose the label because their dresses are the ones she feels most confident in.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos |
| Princess | Eugenie |
| Type of Dress | Backless gown with an open backline, no veil |
| Colour | White |
| Tiara | Grenville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara |
| Shoes | Peep-toe Charlotte Olympia heels |
| Symbolism | Thistle for Scotland, shamrock for Ireland, York Rose and ivy |
| Scoliosis Scars | Visible |
| Fabric | Silk |
| Train | Flowing full-length |
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What You'll Learn
Princess Eugenie's choice of designer
Princess Eugenie, a member of the British royal family, chose British-based label Peter Pilotto for her wedding dress. The designer duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos created the dress, which featured a low backline at Eugenie's request to display her scoliosis surgery scars.
Peter Pilotto shared that Princess Eugenie chose them because she feels most confident in their dresses when attending events. The princess wanted to feel confident on her wedding day and worked closely with the designers to create her dream dress. The gown featured symbols meaningful to Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
The dress was designed with a flowing, full-length train and a pleated skirt. It had a fitted bodice and a neckline that folded around the shoulders, showcasing the princess's back. The choice of designer was a surprise to many, and Pilotto described the experience as "an honour" that gave him "goosebumps."
In addition to her Peter Pilotto wedding dress, Princess Eugenie has also worn designs by other notable brands, such as Erdem. She wore a £1600 Erdem dress to the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2022, where she added a simple black top underneath to respect the local culture.
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The dress' backline design
Princess Eugenie of York's wedding dress was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, who founded the British label, Peter Pilotto, in London in 2007. The dress was a white backless gown with a low-cut back and a flowing full-length train. Eugenie specifically requested the gown's intricately cut-out back design, a nod to the corrective surgery she underwent for scoliosis when she was 12.
The backline design of the dress was a significant aspect of the bridal ensemble, as it allowed Princess Eugenie to showcase her scars from the surgery. In the fabric of the dress, the designers also wove in a couple of symbols that held personal significance for Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. These included a Thistle for Scotland, representing the couple's love for Balmoral, a shamrock for Ireland, honouring the bride's maternal family, the Ferguson family, and the York Rose and ivy, symbolising the couple's home.
The choice to showcase her scars was a powerful statement by Princess Eugenie, reflecting her belief in embracing one's unique beauty and standing up for what one believes in. This aspect of the dress design also added a layer of depth and meaning to the bridal ensemble, making it more than just a fashion statement but a testament to the princess's character and values.
The backless design of the gown was also a departure from traditional wedding dress styles, showcasing Princess Eugenie's modern and individual sense of style. The cut-out back added a touch of elegance and sophistication to the overall look, while the low-cut backline complemented the flowing full-length train, creating a graceful and ethereal silhouette.
Overall, the backline design of the Peter Pilotto wedding dress played a crucial role in not only the aesthetic appeal of the gown but also in conveying the personal story and character of Princess Eugenie, making it a memorable and iconic aspect of her bridal ensemble.
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The dress' embroidered symbols
Princess Eugenie of York's wedding dress was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. The dress was a long-sleeve woven jacquard gown with a low-cut back, specifically requested by Princess Eugenie to display her scoliosis scars.
The dress also incorporated several symbols that held significance to Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. These included a thistle representing Scotland and Balmoral, a favourite place of the couple's; a shamrock for Ireland, acknowledging the Bride's Ferguson family; the York rose; and ivy.
The dress was a surprise choice for the royal wedding, as Princess Eugenie typically keeps the designers of her outfits private until her public appearances. However, she chose Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos because their dresses are the ones "she feels most confident in when she goes to events". The designers also shared that Princess Eugenie is a "beautiful person" and that they were excited to be a part of her incredible journey.
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Peter Pilotto's design process
Peter Pilotto is a London-based fashion brand that was launched in 2007 by the creative partnership between Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. The duo met while studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 2000 and began collaborating soon after.
The brand is known for its signature use of print and embellishment, with Pilotto and De Vos citing digital print as a favoured medium due to its flexibility in translating their ideas onto fabric. Their design process is inspired by travel, art, and design, with colours and colour combinations often serving as the starting point for their collections. They are also known for their ongoing partnership with Swarovski, incorporating embellishments that elevate their garments.
For their Autumn/Winter 2017 collection, Pilotto and De Vos delved into the rich textiles museums in Lima, Peru, with De Vos' Peruvian heritage influencing the collection's aesthetic. The duo also frequently collaborates with artist and designer friends, incorporating their pieces into runway shows and drawing inspiration from their works, colour palettes, and material contrasts.
In terms of their creative process for specific garments, Pilotto and De Vos have shared insights into their experience designing Princess Eugenie's wedding dress. The designers met Eugenie a year before the wedding and developed a friendship, feeling confident about their understanding of her style and preferences. Eugenie specifically requested an open backline for the dress to showcase the scars from her scoliosis surgery, and the designers wove symbols meaningful to Eugenie and her partner into the fabric.
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Peter Pilotto's brand and history
Peter Pilotto is a London-based brand founded in 2007 by Austrian-Italian designer Peter Pilotto and, shortly after, Belgian-Peruvian designer Christopher de Vos, whom Pilotto met at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2000. The label is known for its signature prints and elegant, structured shapes, with Pilotto focusing on textiles and prints and de Vos concentrating on the silhouette and drape of the garment.
The brand first turned heads with its use of digital printing in its debut collection, receiving startup support and studio space from the Centre for Fashion Enterprise in London. Peter Pilotto has since become a red-carpet favourite, with fans including Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Jessica Chastain, Amber Heard, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Olivia Palermo, Allison Williams, Emma Stone, and Karlie Kloss. The brand has also undertaken several collaborations with brands such as Target, Kipling, Lisa Marie Fernandez, and Nicholas Kirkwood.
In 2012, Pilotto and de Vos were invited to be guest designers at the prestigious Pitti W showcase in Florence. The duo has also received several awards, including the NewGen sponsorship by the British Fashion Council, the Swarovski Emerging Talent award in 2010, the Fashion Forward prize in 2011, and the BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund competition in 2014.
Despite the brand bearing his name, Pilotto is quick to acknowledge the partnership at the heart of the label's success: "It was like, 'So let's do this together now.' I was kind of threatening him because I knew it would be good for him [to start the line]. Obviously, it was scary to leave the job and we had the tiniest support from our parents. They were maybe paying our rent and that was about it."
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Eugenie's wedding dress was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos.
Peter Pilotto is a London-based fashion house founded by Pilotto and De Vos in 2007. The brand is sold in 49 countries across the world.
Princess Eugenie's wedding dress was made of jacquard silk, cotton, and viscose. The intricate weaving on the top layer was done in Como, Italy.
Princess Eugenie's wedding dress was white, with long sleeves, a portrait neckline, and a specially designed sweeping back that showed off her scoliosis scars. The dress also featured embroidered symbols including a thistle for Scotland, a shamrock for Ireland, the York Rose, and ivy.
