George Boyle
Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress, designed by Lindka Cierach, was an ivory-coloured, silk dress with a 17-foot train and silver embroidery. The gown was deemed a triumph, influencing wedding dress fashion for years to come. Cierach made an exact replica of the dress for Madame Tussauds, and the original dress was worn by Ferguson when she married Prince Andrew at Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress designer | Lindka Cierach |
| Wedding dress style | Ivory-coloured, silk, scoop-neck gown with silver embroidery, beading, and a 17-foot-long train |
| Wedding dress cost | $45,000 |
| Wedding date | 23 July 1986 |
| Wedding venue | Westminster Abbey |
| Groom | Prince Andrew |
| Bride | Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York |
| Wedding party location | Claridge's Hotel |
| Honeymoon location | Azores |
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What You'll Learn
The designer: Lindka Cierach
Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress was designed by African-born British couturier Lindka Cierach. Cierach is an up-and-coming London courtier and was relatively unknown at the time of her selection.
Cierach spent months thinking up and executing the Duchess of York's bejewelled bridal gown. The ivory-coloured, silk dress featured a scoop neckline, silver embroidery, and a bodice that fit like a corset. The dress was also decorated with bumblebees and thistles, which were symbols in the Ferguson family coat of arms. In addition, the gown featured anchors and waves, representing Prince Andrew's sailing background.
The dress also included a 17-foot-long beaded train, embroidered with the intertwining initials "A" and "S". Cierach and her team of five women worked on the gown for four months, taking great care to keep the design a secret. They covered the fourth floor of her studio with paper and saved every last fabric scrap and sketch to prevent anyone from finding out details about the dress before the big day.
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The cost: $45,000
The cost of Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress was $45,000. The dress was designed by African-born British couturier Lindka Cierach and was made from ivory-coloured duchesse satin, featuring a scoop neckline, silver embroidery, and beading. The dress also included a 17-foot-long beaded train with the intertwining initials "A" and "S", representing Sarah and her soon-to-be husband, Prince Andrew.
Cierach and her team of five women worked on the gown for four months, taking great measures to keep the design a secret. They covered the fourth floor of her studio with paper to prevent any sketches or fabric scraps from being found in the trash.
The dress was met with positive reviews, with many praising the flattering bodice that fit like a corset. The response was so favourable that designers rushed to copy the design, and shops displayed near replicas within two hours of the bride appearing.
The cost of the dress, at $45,000, was a significant expense. However, it is worth noting that the dress had a huge influence on wedding dress fashion at the time. Brides for years to come were influenced by the design, with many walking down the aisle in similar frou-frou styles.
A replica of the dress was also made for Madame Tussauds, showcasing the iconic nature of the gown and its place in fashion history.
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The fabric: ivory-coloured silk
The fabric of Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress was ivory-coloured silk. The dress was designed by African-born British couturier Lindka Cierach and cost $45,000. Cierach and her team of five women worked on the gown for four months, covering the fourth-floor studio's windows with paper to keep the design a secret. The dress was made from duchesse satin and featured elaborate silver embroidery and beading. The embroidery included intertwining initials, anchors, hearts, waves, thistles, and bumblebees. The bumblebee and thistle designs were taken from the Ferguson family coat of arms, while the anchors and waves represented Andrew's sailing background.
The gown had a scoop neck and a waist-defining corset bodice with long puff sleeves. It also featured a 17-foot-long beaded train. The dress was deemed a triumph and was praised for its flattering silhouette. It had a positive impact on wedding dress fashion, with designers rushing to copy the design and shops displaying replicas within hours of the bride appearing.
In her 1997 memoir, "My Story", Sarah Ferguson described her dress as "an exquisite creation I'd lost twenty-six pounds to fit into. Lindka was a genius; I knew she could make the most flattering gown ever, and she had. It was amazingly boned, like a corset." A replica of the dress was made for Madame Tussauds.
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The embroidery: bumblebees, anchors, waves, and more
The embroidery on Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress included bumblebees, thistles, anchors, and waves. These symbols were chosen because they were part of the Ferguson family coat of arms and represented Prince Andrew's sailing background. The train of the dress also featured intertwining initials.
Ferguson, also known as Fergie, personally selected the elements that went into her family coat of arms before she joined the royal family. She chose the bumblebee and thistle motifs.
The dress was designed by African-born British couturier Lindka Cierach and was made from ivory duchesse satin. Cierach and her team of five women worked on the gown for four months, keeping the design a closely guarded secret. The dress was a scoop-neck style with silver embroidery and beading, and it featured a waist-defining corset bodice and long puff sleeves.
The choice of an unknown designer for her wedding gown was criticised by fashion experts in the lead-up to the wedding. However, the dress was ultimately deemed a triumph, with shops displaying near replicas within two hours of the bride appearing.
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$49.39 $59.99
The replica: Madame Tussauds
Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress was so iconic that a replica was made for Madame Tussauds. The original dress was designed by African-born British couturier Lindka Cierach. It featured an ivory-coloured, silk bodice that fit like a corset, flattering Sarah's figure, and long puff sleeves. The dress was made from duchesse satin and featured elaborate silver embroidery and beading. The 17-foot-long train was embroidered with the intertwining initials "A" and "S", as well as anchors, waves, and bumblebees, which were taken from the Ferguson family crest.
The dress was a testament to the excess of the 1980s but reflected the mood of the time. It was deemed a triumph and had a huge influence on wedding dress fashion. Many brides walked down the aisle in similar designs for years to come.
Designer Lindka Cierach made an exact replica of the dress for Madame Tussauds. Each dress reportedly cost $45,000 at the time. The replica dress is on display at Madame Tussauds, a popular tourist attraction in London. Madame Tussauds is known for its lifelike wax figures of famous people, and the replica dress is likely on display alongside a wax figure of Sarah Ferguson.
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Frequently asked questions
Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress was designed by Lindka Cierach.
The dress was made of ivory-coloured silk and duchesse satin. It featured elaborate silver embroidery and beading.
The gown was decorated with bumblebees and thistles, symbols in the Ferguson family coat of arms. It also featured anchors and waves, representing Andrew's sailing background.
The dress reportedly cost $45,000.
It is likely that the dress is with Sarah Ferguson, though it is unclear whether it is in her possession or on display. A replica of the dress was made for Madame Tussauds.
