9 March 2011 | By Laura Trevelyan
If speculation about who will design Kate Middleton's wedding dress is already at fever pitch, could the atmosphere in the fashion world possibly become any more febrile? The answer is undoubtedly yes. The intrigue has some way to go yet. With Clarence House giving nothing away, we won't know for sure who Kate is wearing until she walks up the aisle. The rumor mill is in overdrive now that a British newspaper has reported that Alexander McQueen's fashion house is designing the gown — something the label has emphatically denied.
Sarah Burton, protge of the late Alexander McQueen, unveiled her "Ice Queen" collection in Paris on Tuesday (March 8). If, despite the ritual denials, Burton is the designer, what clues do the collection give as to her signature style and the choices she could make for Kate? Beads and feathers adorned long, romantic white dresses, and high neck lines were a feature, something which Kate is likely to adopt. The dress with the bodice of chipped porcelain seems an unlikely choice — rather radical for a royal, and probably a bit uncomfortable for a long day's social whirl centered around London's landmarks, including Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.
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Established in 1998, TeKay Designs has been designing ethnic and African-American wedding gowns, ethnic formal and bridesmaids dresses, and ethnic mens wear. Seizing the opportunity to showcase custom made ethnic wedding dresses, the company has added the Gold Collection in addition to their original ethnic bridal and formal designer line (The Sankofa Collection). The recently released Gold Collection features European bridal styles complete with matching headpieces including ethnic accents and fabrics made of Guinea brocade, kente, dupioni silk, jacquard, crepe satin, silk chiffon, hand woven embroidery, embroidered lace, beads and decorative trim....
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If Kate has chosen Burton to design the dress that will define the world's image of her, it's a bold, fashion-conscious choice which marks a departure from the elegant but restrained style which has been her hallmark so far. But the fashion world is now royally confused about whether she is or isn't the designer. As The Guardian newspaper reported, Burton's McQueen show in Paris "fanned the rumors that she has landed the fashion commission of the century — while simultaneously raising serious questions around the story."
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Other designers who have been tipped to design the gown include Daniella Issa Helayel, who made Kate's much-imitated sapphire blue engagement dress. The consensus though is that Kate will showcase a British designer and Issa is a native of Brazil, though based in London. The sentimental money is on Bruce Oldfield, a favorite of Diana, Princess of Wales. You can easily imagine his glamorous, fitted wedding dresses on Kate: like Prince William's bride-to-be, Oldfield avoids fuss for flattering necklines. Kate's mother and sister were spotted leaving Oldfield's store, so if not Kate herself, perhaps someone in the Middleton family will be fitted out by him on the day.
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The designer Phillipa Lepley was an early favorite with the bookmakers; her luxurious, embellished gowns are sought after by celebrities. Then there's a whole host of other British designers too — Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, and Alice Temperley, to name but a few. The guessing game and the swirling, often contradictory rumors will continue until the world catches its first glimpse of the royal bride — and a designer becomes world famous in an instant.
31 March 2011 | By Laura Trevelyan
Not every royal has as public and pageant-filled a wedding as Prince William and Kate Middleton's will be. When the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, married Wallis Simpson on June 3, 1937, it was a rather simpler affair. Edward had abdicated from the throne in order to marry the woman he loved, the twice-married Mrs. Simpson, causing a constitutional crisis so an extravagant wedding was emphatically not in order. No Westminster Abbey for those two.
Instead, the ancient Chteau de Cand in Monts, France was...
Laura Trevelyan is a BBC correspondent based in New York.
This article, Who's designing Kate's wedding dress? A look at the usual suspects, originally appeared on BBCAmerica.com's Royal Wedding Insider blog.
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(Photo: This undated photo provided by David Burton shows Sarah Burton, creative director of the Alexander McQueen fashion house. AP/David Burton)
