One of the stunning gowns which sparked a media frenzy over who would design Kate Middleton’s wedding dress has been unveiled as the Dress of the Year 2011 at the Fashion Museum.
Courtesy of Chris Moore
Sarah Burton’s Autumn/Winter 2011 “Ice Queen” designs for the House of Alexander McQueen set tongues wagging when they originally went on show in Paris on March 8 last year. As Burton’s collection was universally lauded rumours quickly snowballed that the designer was working on a similar creation for Miss Middleton’s marriage to Prince William – only to be confirmed on the morning of the big day, April 29 2011.
Fashion Museum Manager, Rosemary Harden said: “We’re over the moon to welcome this unique McQueen design by Sarah Burton to the museum. It is truly a dress of exquisite beauty. This is what fashion is all about – all the craftsmanship, expertise and vision coming together in this wonderful dress which is now on show in Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Fashion Museum for everyone to see.
“This time last year it was all anyone was talking about – as the day of the Royal Wedding drew closer the speculation grew about what Kate’s dress would look like. This dress is part of that story and we’re absolutely delighted to give it pride of place as our Dress of the Year 2011.”
The Dress of the Year 2011 was chosen from Sarah Burton’s landmark collection for Alexander McQueen by Hamish Bowles, International Editor-at-Large for US Vogue.
Bowles, who used to visit the Fashion Museum as a boy, said: “I am thrilled to have been asked to select the 2011 Dress of the Year.
“This gown was the finale star from Burton’s Fall 2011 collection for Alexander McQueen. The white and ivory dresses in this collection were apparently partly created as a cover for ‘The White Dress Project’ – namely the wedding dress that Sarah Burton created for Catherine Middleton’s marriage to Prince William – the most anticipated, talked about, and ultimately, applauded dress of the year.
“Nowhere are Sarah Burton’s unique skills better exemplified than in this magnificent dress that dazzlingly updates the tradition of the robe de bal, looking back to the crinolined Second Empire creations of Charles Frederick Worth and the mid-century masterworks of Christian Dior, but with a cut, technical treatments, and embellishments that are uniquely twenty-first century.
“We are profoundly grateful to Sarah Burton and to the House of McQueen for their generosity in giving the Fashion Museum this unique runway sample.”
The ivory tulle bodice of the dress is fully embroidered with 3D organza feathers. Each feather is individually hand crafted, fully or partially embroidered with silver and white thread and bullion. The gown has an organza skirt consisting of 31 panels, hand embroidered with miniature eagle motifs using silver and white bullion.
This latest addition to the Dress of the Year collection means there are now 49 era-defining outfits as part of the Fashion Museum’s award, a selection of which are on display in the Fashion Museum.
Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “This is a brilliant Dress of the Year for 2011, and Bath & North East Somerset Council is grateful to Hamish Bowles for his virtuoso choice and to the House of Alexander McQueen for so generously donating this fantastic couture dress to the Fashion Museum. The dress will now take its place alongside the other great names of fashion which are represented in the Dress of the Year collection.”
The Fashion Museum is open daily from 10.30am to 4pm (exit 5pm). For more information visit http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk or call 01225 477789.
