First the Great Unveiling... and then a collective gasp: With a plunging neckline and lots of lace, the gown was a timeless triumph
By Fay Schlesinger and Maysa RawiLast updated at 1:31 AM on 30th April 2011
For five months, the world had waited for this moment.
And when Kate Middleton stepped out in front of her admiring public to unveil her ivory and satin Alexander McQueen gown at one minute past 11am yesterday, there were gasps of delight around the globe.
Observers felt there was a timeless quality to Kate’s dress, compared to the ‘of the moment’ designs worn by Diana Spencer and Sarah Ferguson.
Classic style: HRH Duchess of Cambridge emerges from Westminster Abbey, with her new husband Prince William. Her Alexander McQueen couture dress took its style lead from the Fifties
Breathtaking: Catherine's feminine dress was understated yet show-stopping
The 9ft train flowed from a skirt echoing an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats
The ‘something new’ was Kate’s earrings – diamond-set oak leaves with a pear-shaped drop and a diamond acorn, a gift from her parents based on the family’s new coat of arms. Each member of the Middleton family had a piece of jewellery created for them for the occasion, and Kate’s mother, Carole, was responsible for co-designing the earrings with bespoke jewellers Robinson Pelham.
The ‘borrowed’ was the 1936 diamond Cartier Halo tiara from the Queen, and the bride had an unseen piece of blue ribbon sewn into the dress’s lining to satisfy tradition.
Her veil was made of layers of soft ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, and fell to just below her waist.
The public got their first tantalising glimpse of the dress as Kate left the Goring Hotel at 10.51am.
The dress was made with Individual flowers hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle, with button detailing on the lace sleeves
Kate’s shoes, barely seen beneath her full-length skirts, were also hand-crafted by the McQueen team, made from ivory duchesse satin embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace.
From fleeting glimpses, they appeared to be closed-toe court shoes with heels around two and a half inches high and a lace embroidery pattern to match the trim of the dress.
Diana’s dress designer Elizabeth Emanuel – who has previously faced criticism for making the late princess’s wedding dress ‘too puffy’ – praised Kate’s ‘uncluttered’ choice.
Mrs Emanuel said: ‘The whole thing worked very well. It was a very regal dress and, I thought, perfect because she looked like Kate. It was the Kate everyone loved, looking beautiful and elegant.
‘It’s very wearable and that style would fit so many different shapes. I’m sure it’s going to be a coveted look.’
The distinctive lace sleeves and bodice are now expected to be copied on the high street and by couture bridal designers around the world.
British bridal designer Suzanne Neville said: ‘I thought it was exactly what most people thought she was going to wear, but it was beautiful, absolutely stunning.’
Here comes the bride: Kate Middleton makes her way from the Goring hotel to Westminster Abbey
Something borrowed: Catherine wore a diamond 'halo' tiara, lent to her by the Queen
WHAT THE FASH PACK SAID
Karl Lagerfed, Chanel: 'She is very elegant. The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor. It almost reminds me of Elizabeth's wedding, the royal weddings in the Fifties. The proportion of the train is good. The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot.'
Bruce Oldfield: 'Catherine needed the volume of the skirt, both to emphasise her tiny waist and to give the dress a sense of importance, I also liked the nod towards a bustle. It all helped towards an appropriately traditional gown.'
Hubert de Givenchy: 'The veil is a little flat, but because she has such a lovely face, she can afford to wear it this way. She is very pretty.'
Christian Lacroix: 'I like the dress very much, simpler than expected: a combination just in between 1956 Grace Kelly and 1947 Queen Elizabeth dress. I love the modest veil with the Queen Mother's Thirties scroll tiara and balanced volume of the whole gown. She's radiant; she never was so beautiful.'
Elie Saab: 'It was a very elegant dress, subtly refined and discreet, in keeping with her style. I would have liked it even more with a little extra volume and a longer train.'
Bruce Oldfield: 'Catherine needed the volume of the skirt, both to emphasise her tiny waist and to give the dress a sense of importance, I also liked the nod towards a bustle. It all helped towards an appropriately traditional gown.'
Hubert de Givenchy: 'The veil is a little flat, but because she has such a lovely face, she can afford to wear it this way. She is very pretty.'
Christian Lacroix: 'I like the dress very much, simpler than expected: a combination just in between 1956 Grace Kelly and 1947 Queen Elizabeth dress. I love the modest veil with the Queen Mother's Thirties scroll tiara and balanced volume of the whole gown. She's radiant; she never was so beautiful.'
Elie Saab: 'It was a very elegant dress, subtly refined and discreet, in keeping with her style. I would have liked it even more with a little extra volume and a longer train.'
Burton retained McQueen's essence but injected a dose of romance to the label.
Burton said: 'I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship.
'Alexander McQueen's designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day.
Catherine looked absolutely stunning today, and the team at Alexander McQueen are very proud of what we have created.'
Celebrity bridal stylist Camilla Ridley Day hailed the dress the 'perfect choice for a princess.'
Camilla said: 'She wears the dress, the dress doesn't wear her.
'It is totally fitting with her style and perfect for a princess.
'It is romantic and elegant, with long sleeves very suited to the Abbey.'Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld was equally impressed.
He said:' Alexander McQueen's dresses are always very elegant.
'It's very pretty, and relatively classic, but that goes with the decor, with a little touch of the 1950s that recalls Marilyn Monroe or Queen Elizabeth's dress.
Family affair: Catherine prepares to enter the abbey with her father Michael Middleton by her side
Lady in waiting: Pippa Middleton, also wearing Alexander McQueen, takes hold of Catherine's train
'The lace is pretty, especially the embroidered veil and the tiara not too high, without too heavy a bun. It's ravishing and the length of the train is perfect.''It's all elegant and chic — you don't need to be born a royal princess to be like that.'
Despite rumours and rife speculation, Catherine insisted on keeping details of the dress under wraps until today to surprise her husband-to-be - who was one of the last in the world to see the stunning creation.
Inspiration: Catherine's gown is similar to Grace Kelly's for her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956
Designing woman: Sarah Burton puts the last-minute touches to ensure the dress looks perfect
Suitably impressed, William - now know as the Duke of Cambridge - whispered 'you look beautiful' as she joined him at the altar.
Marriage of skills: Mrs Burton said the gown brought together the best of British craftsmanship
The bride decided not to use a make-up artist opting instead to do her own.
Kate's favourite black liner is still there and more exaggerated above the eye, but this will make her eyes stand out even more in photographs.
Beauty expert Elsa Mcalonan said: 'Fresh, glowing and natural. The first glimpse of Kate Middleton's make-up behind the veil shows slightly heavier make-up that we've been used to - with more emphasis on the eyes than we are used to.
'It is not an understated look. We have been told that Kate has done her own make-up, but it looks like it's been done by a professional.
'She is definitely wearing blusher, which adds definition to her cheekbones. It looks like a soft, peachy pink. The lips are a soft rose.
'The hair, half up and half down, is a great compromise. Curled very softly at the back and falling into ringlets, her impressive glossy mane is still part of the look.'
Catherine's posy ensured her hair and tiara received all the attention.
The wired bouquet included sweet william, as well as myrtle, lily-of-the-valley and hyacinth.
As tradition dictates for royal weddings, the bride's bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle from the original myrtle bush planted by Queen Victoria at Osborne House, Isle of Wight in 1845.
But it also poignantly contains a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen's wedding bouquet of 1947.
The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly, who was also responsible for creating the 'avenue of trees' in Westminster Abbey today.
The bride chose her flowers for their significance to the Royal Family, the Middletons and the language of flowers.
Sweet William means gallantry, lily-of-the-valley means return of happiness, hyacinth symbolises constancy of love, while myrtle is the emblem of marriage and love.
There is also ivy for fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship and affection.
Myrtle was carried by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.
Myrtle was carried by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.
Liz Jones on Kate's dress
Liz Jones on Kate's dress
The veil was made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework
Had the Archbishop trimmed his eyebrows? Would Victoria Beckham faint in the aisle from hunger? The suspense during the build-up was hard to bear.
But, finally, we glimpsed the bride’s dress through the Rolls-Royce windows.
Lace. Lots of it. Narrow sleeves. A plunging neckline. Reminiscent of the demure gown worn by Grace Kelly, another commoner who landed a prince, in 1956.
Lace. Lots of it. Narrow sleeves. A plunging neckline. Reminiscent of the demure gown worn by Grace Kelly, another commoner who landed a prince, in 1956.
Kate’s hair was down and modern, in soft curls, tamed by a 1936 Cartier ‘Halo’ tiara, not a garland of flowers. She clutched her bouquet of myrtle and lily of the valley as if her life depended on it.
Then the Great Unveiling as she alighted at the Abbey, and a collective gasp.
Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, you excelled yourself. Extravagant folds of ivory and white satin silk that managed to be simple and dramatic at the same time.
The train was modest, just like Kate, measuring just two metres and 70 centimetres. It formed a perfect scoop, like a teardrop. Unlike Diana, Kate was not swamped by her gown. Her personality could shine through.
The skirt echoed an unfurling flower – a Dior trademark, which makes me wonder whether Burton now has her eye on the top job vacated by John Galliano – with white satin gazar arches and pleats.
The almost Victorian ivory satin bodice and the daringly padded, McQueen trademark hips made the waist appear smaller than it really is.
The back was finished with 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons fastened by long, thin Rouleau loops.
The underskirt was made of silk tulle trimmed with daisies made from Cluny lace, originally used on bedlinen in the 16th century. The shoes were also by McQueen. Kate did not stumble, so although we could barely see them we can be sure the slippers were not the trademark impossible McQueen ‘hooves’. Any gripes? The dress was a little too long at the front, when it should have been a few millimetres off the ground.
The bride was heavily involved in the design and worked closely with Burton to ensure the design would be a combination of both tradition and modern
Other detailing, though, was exquisite, and proudly made by British artisans, using British fabric where possible.
The hand-cut English lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace, while the lace design was appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s and was ‘made by the rural poor for the rich and famous’.
It’s a huge shame that such craft is now an anomaly. Sarah Burton had to search far and wide to conjure up a dress that is as home grown as possible, when in reality, no one makes clothes or even fabric here any more.
It’s a huge shame that such craft is now an anomaly. Sarah Burton had to search far and wide to conjure up a dress that is as home grown as possible, when in reality, no one makes clothes or even fabric here any more.
Every single garment in the McQueen flagship store (and the label is of course entirely owned by the French) on Old Bond Street proclaims ‘made in Italy’.
Perhaps now the world has seen what we can do, that shameful statistic might change. For Sarah Burton did our future queen proud. ‘It was the experience of a lifetime,’ Burton said yesterday. ‘An incredible honour to be asked.’
Most importantly, Burton put Kate first, rather than her own ego. The restraint was there in almost every stitch: she didn’t look medieval, or too fashionable, she merely looked, as Will whispered when he saw her, ‘absolutely beautiful’. All in all, a perfect fashion match.
I wonder if, for old times’ sake, Kate wore a pair of her trademark black opaque tights underneath.
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