Rhiannon Hendricks
Kate Middleton's wedding dress is one of the most iconic gowns in history. Designed by Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, the dress featured handmade lace, floral appliqués, long sleeves, a deep V-neck, and an eight-foot train. After her wedding to Prince William in 2011, the dress was put on display at Buckingham Palace as part of a royal wedding exhibition. The exhibit attracted a record-breaking 600,000 visitors, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose reaction to the display went viral on TikTok. Following the exhibition, the dress was reportedly placed into storage to preserve its delicate fabric.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen |
| Cost | £250,000 or $434,000 |
| Style | Fitted white V-neck gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay |
| Details | Victorian-style bodice with floral motifs, ivory and white satin gazar skirt, blue ribbon, Cartier Halo tiara, ivory silk tulle veil |
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Venue | Westminster Abbey |
| Display | Buckingham Palace from 23 July 2011 to 3 October 2011 |
Explore related products
$37.98 $39.99
$39.99 $45.99
What You'll Learn
- The dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
- It featured a Victorian-style bodice and a long, full skirt
- The lace motifs represented England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- The dress was displayed at Buckingham Palace after the wedding
- The Cartier Halo tiara was lent to Kate by Queen Elizabeth
The dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Burton is an English fashion designer who was the creative director for the Alexander McQueen label from 2010 to 2023. She worked at the Alexander McQueen fashion house from 1997 to 2023, spending 13 of those years as its creative director.
The dress was a fitted white V-neck gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay. It featured a Victorian-style bodice, with padding at the hips and a narrow waist, a trademark McQueen design. The ivory and white satin gazar skirt was designed to resemble the opening of a flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The dress also included a nine-foot train. Burton used French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace throughout the gown's bodice, skirt, and underskirt. The lace was appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.
The Duchess of Cambridge, also known as Kate Middleton, married Prince William at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. The dress was widely praised, and Burton was named Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council in November 2011. She has since dressed a host of stars, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Zendaya. In 2023, Burton left Alexander McQueen to become the creative director of Givenchy.
Catholic Wedding Dress Code: What to Wear?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$44.99 $49.99
It featured a Victorian-style bodice and a long, full skirt
The wedding dress of Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, featured an ivory satin Victorian-inspired corset bodice with a narrow waist and padded hips. This was accented by a full, long skirt, which was designed to resemble an opening flower. The skirt was made of ivory and white satin gazar, with soft pleats that unfolded to the floor, forming a Victorian-style semi-bustle at the back. The dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and was widely anticipated, with replicas being produced and sold.
The Victorian-style bodice of the gown was a signature design element of McQueen. It incorporated floral motifs cut from machine-made lace, which were then appliquéd onto silk net (tulle) by workers from the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. The bodice also featured 58 buttons of gazar and organza, which fastened by means of rouleau loops.
The long, full skirt of the dress was designed to echo an opening flower, with soft pleats that unfolded to the floor. The skirt, along with the underskirt trim and bridal train, incorporated lace appliquéd in a similar manner to the bodice. The main body of the dress was made in ivory and white satin gazar, using UK fabrics specially sourced by Sarah Burton.
The dress was first revealed when Kate Middleton stepped out of her car at Westminster Abbey on her wedding day, 29 April 2011. The dress was on display at Buckingham Palace from 23 July to 3 October 2011, along with the veil, tiara, bridal shoes, and diamond earrings. The exhibition was held in the same place as the royal wedding reception.
Changing Dresses: Post-Wedding Outfit Switch
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$50.93
The lace motifs represented England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen. The dress was widely anticipated and generated much comment in the media. It was first revealed when Kate Middleton stepped out of her car at Westminster Abbey on her wedding day on 29 April 2011.
The dress featured an ivory and white satin gazar skirt, with a Victorian-style bodice, and long-sleeved lace overlay. The lace motifs included a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each motif was intricately stitched, some as small as a five-pence piece, with minute stitches every two to three millimetres. The lace was appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Burton used French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace throughout the gown's bodice, skirt and underskirt.
The dress was on display at Buckingham Palace from 23 July to 3 October 2011, alongside a film of Sarah Burton, where the designer commented on the dress's creation. The exhibition was held in the same room as the royal wedding reception. The dress broke royal records when it was displayed, with people flocking to see the iconic gown.
Guide to Wearing a Bra with Your Wedding Dress
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$54.99
The dress was displayed at Buckingham Palace after the wedding
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was indeed displayed at Buckingham Palace after her wedding to Prince William. The dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, broke royal records when it was exhibited at the palace from 23 July to 3 October 2011. The display took place during the annual summer opening of the palace, in the same ballroom where the royal wedding reception was held.
The intricate and iconic gown featured a series of lace motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock, representing England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The lace was appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. The dress also incorporated French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace throughout its bodice, skirt, and underskirt.
The exhibition included not only the dress but also the veil, tiara, bridal shoes, and diamond earrings worn by the Duchess on her wedding day. The veil, made of layers of soft ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, was crafted by the Royal School of Needlework. The 1936 Cartier "Halo" tiara, on loan to the Duchess from Queen Elizabeth, was a notable "something borrowed" for the occasion.
The display of the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress at Buckingham Palace provided an opportunity for the public to admire the intricate details and craftsmanship that went into creating this iconic gown. The exhibition also offered a glimpse into the Duchess's personal style and her collaboration with designer Sarah Burton to create a dress that combined tradition and modernity.
How to Tastefully Add Tulle to Your Wedding Dress
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$45.99 $52.99
The Cartier Halo tiara was lent to Kate by Queen Elizabeth
The Cartier Halo tiara, which held the Duchess of Cambridge's ivory silk tulle veil in place, was lent to Kate by Queen Elizabeth. It was the Duchess's "something borrowed" for her wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
The tiara was made in 1936 by Cartier in London, England. It was purchased by King George VI, then still the Duke of York, for his wife, Elizabeth, who later became the Queen Mother. The tiara was made of platinum and featured 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette-cut diamonds. It was often referred to as the "Scroll Tiara" due to its large scroll elements arranged across a geometric band of diamonds.
The Cartier Halo tiara was passed down to Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, as an 18th birthday gift in 1944. The Queen has never worn the tiara publicly, but it has been worn by other royal family members, including Princess Margaret and Princess Anne. The tiara has a smaller-than-average size, making it a good beginner tiara for younger members of the royal family.
The Duchess of Cambridge's choice to wear the Cartier Halo tiara for her wedding was a significant one. The tiara's connection to the Queen Mother may have been a way for the Duchess to signal her desire to pattern her royal role after that of the late Queen Mother. The tiara's design, with its wave-like and scroll motifs, also complemented the overall theme of the Duchess's wedding ensemble, which included diamond earrings that echoed the tiara's scroll motif and incorporated a diamond acorn from the Middleton family's coat of arms.
Sondra Celli Wedding Dresses: How Much Do They Cost?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was on display at Buckingham Palace from 23 July to 3 October 2011.
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen.
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was an ivory and white satin Victorian-inspired gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay. The dress featured floral motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress is rumoured to have cost between $434,000 and £250,000.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Cartier Halo tiara, which was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth, along with a veil made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle. She also wore diamond earrings commissioned by the Middleton family as a gift from her parents.
