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The designer of Kate Middleton's wedding dress said it was the "experience of a lifetime" to be tasked with creating the exquisite gown.

 

Sarah Burton, of Alexander McQueen, described the bride as looking "absolutely stunning".

She said she was incredibly honoured to be asked to design the historic dress, adding: "I have enjoyed every moment of it."


The bridal dress is an ivory gown with lace applique floral detail, with the skirt resembling "an opening flower" and intricate lace detailed train.



Burton said: "It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it.



"It was such an incredible honour to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created.


"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."


She added: "Understandably, Catherine has been very keen to keep the details of her dress a secret, which is every bride's prerogative, and we gave an undertaking to keep our role confidential until the day of the wedding."

Burton took over as creative director of the label after the suicide of Alexander McQueen last year, after becoming his right-hand woman since joining as an intern in 1996. She is known for mixing the timeless elegance with a quirky style.

The designer, originally from Manchester, drew praise at this year's Paris Fashion Week, where she presented her first womenswear collection without him, for mixing his unique style with a new sense of femininity.

The now Duchess of Cambridge accessorised with a 1936 diamond 'halo' tiara by Cartier - her 'something borrowed' - lent to her by the Queen.

The pear-shaped diamond earrings were designed by Robinson Pelham and inspired by the Middleton's new coat of arms, and were a gift to her from her parents.

The matching wedding shoes (although I cannot claim to have caught a glimpse) were also hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered.

What the Designers thought:

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.'

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.'

Elie Saab: 'It was a very elegant dress, subtly refined and discreet, in keeping with her style," Elie Saab added. "I would have liked it even more with a little extra volume and a longer train.'

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."




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