On
Saturday morning, at around 11.30am – depending on whether she exercises
her prerogative to be late – Pippa Middleton will arrive at St Mark’s
Church in the idyllic village of Englefield, and the mystery that has
occupied the fashion world for months will finally be solved.
Will Middleton be wearing a classically elegant wedding dress, following in the footsteps of her big sister, the Duchess of Cambridge? Will she play on the bucolic setting and opt for a romantically bohemian style? Or will she use this as a chance to set modern wedding dress trends again, as she inadvertently did when she wore that slinky Alexander McQueen design at the royal wedding in 2011?
Will Middleton be wearing a classically elegant wedding dress, following in the footsteps of her big sister, the Duchess of Cambridge? Will she play on the bucolic setting and opt for a romantically bohemian style? Or will she use this as a chance to set modern wedding dress trends again, as she inadvertently did when she wore that slinky Alexander McQueen design at the royal wedding in 2011?
Ever since Middleton’s
engagement to millionaire hedge-fund manager James Matthews was
announced last July, speculation about the identity of the designer has
abounded.
Last
November, British couturier Giles Deacon – renowned for his dramatic,
beautiful couture designs – was seen visiting Middleton at home,
carrying an armful of dress bags. While he still seems to be the current
favourite, the bride is reported to have held meetings with many other
designers, and yet more were asked to submit sketches of their ideas.
Deacon would be an inspired but unexpected choice. In 2011, he was the mastermind behind the non-royal wedding dress of the year – the strapless, tiered skirt creation worn by model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy at her marriage to footballer Peter Crouch. That aside, Deacon is best known in fashion circles for his opulent red-carpet gowns, which are often inspired by dark fairy tales and worn by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sarah Jessica Parker and his girlfriend, the Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie.
Deacon would be an inspired but unexpected choice. In 2011, he was the mastermind behind the non-royal wedding dress of the year – the strapless, tiered skirt creation worn by model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy at her marriage to footballer Peter Crouch. That aside, Deacon is best known in fashion circles for his opulent red-carpet gowns, which are often inspired by dark fairy tales and worn by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sarah Jessica Parker and his girlfriend, the Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie.
Last
year, Deacon moved away from showing at London Fashion Week to
concentrate on his couture business, meaning he would have the time and
skillset to dedicate to the Middleton project. And it sounds as if he’s a
fan. “I think they’ve both got divine style,” Deacon told Hello! of
Kate and Pippa last year. “They’re thoroughly modern girls promoting
British brands and looking fantastic.”
No matter
who Middleton has picked to create her wedding dress, there are certain
unique demands that the designer will have to contend with. “A large
amount of publicity around a wedding adds even more pressure on a dress
to be absolutely perfect,” says Phillipa Lepley, creator of wedding
dresses for Geri Halliwell and Jacqui Ainsley, the model wife
of director Guy Ritchie.
“One constant, though, is that brides tend to choose something more
traditional in the end, even if they liked the idea of going down a
different route at the start of their search,” she adds. Pippa, with her
preference for a relatively “safe” style in her everyday life, could
plausibly follow this path.
“ ‘Nice’ girls tend to play it safe when going down the aisle,” confirms Sophia Money-Coutts, features director at Tatler. “The Kate Middleton look – lace sleeves, nipped-in waist – is still hugely popular with posh girls. But Pippa will want it to be different, so we don’t all go, ‘How boring, she’s copied her sister.’ ”
Still, there is a long list of British couturiers who could cater to the traditional brief. Besides Lepley herself, Suzannah (designed by Suzannah Crabb) and worn frequently by Pippa, or Jenny Packham (a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge) would be elegant choices. Middleton is also believed to have visited Theresa May’s favourite, Amanda Wakeley, who has a bridal collection encompassing everything from sleek, bias-cut styles to grand, church‑worthy looks, all combining classic sophistication with a soupçon of modernity.
“ ‘Nice’ girls tend to play it safe when going down the aisle,” confirms Sophia Money-Coutts, features director at Tatler. “The Kate Middleton look – lace sleeves, nipped-in waist – is still hugely popular with posh girls. But Pippa will want it to be different, so we don’t all go, ‘How boring, she’s copied her sister.’ ”
Still, there is a long list of British couturiers who could cater to the traditional brief. Besides Lepley herself, Suzannah (designed by Suzannah Crabb) and worn frequently by Pippa, or Jenny Packham (a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge) would be elegant choices. Middleton is also believed to have visited Theresa May’s favourite, Amanda Wakeley, who has a bridal collection encompassing everything from sleek, bias-cut styles to grand, church‑worthy looks, all combining classic sophistication with a soupçon of modernity.
Another
contender in the safe-but-lovely category is Eponine London, a small
bespoke label that the Duchess of Cambridge has worn three times in the
past 14 months. Founded by 56-year-old Jet Shenkman from the basement of
her Kensington home, the brand specialises in bespoke, British-made
pieces that cleverly tread the line between unique and classic.
Of
course, whoever has won the commission will gain global fame and an
unprecedented boost to their business, which is why many fashion
insiders are rooting for Emilia Wickstead or Erdem. Both designers have
established themselves as favourites at London Fashion Week with their
modern but feminine and wearable designs. Wickstead – who designed the
strikingly simple, elegant gown that Lady Charlotte Wellesley wore to
marry Argentinian Alejandro Santo Domingo in Spain last summer – has
rather savvily just debuted a ready-to-wear bridal collection,
comprising looks that cater for all manner of modern wedding, from a
low-key jumpsuit to cathedral-worthy dresses.
“They are made to be worn and then looked at 35 years down the line
and still make you think, ‘That was beautiful,’ ” says Wickstead.
One thing is certain: come Saturday afternoon, designers and retailers the world over will be scurrying to run up designs in the style of Pippa Middleton’s wedding dress. After Kate’s wedding, Chinese wedding dress factories took just 15-20 days to produce a version of her dress.
“With the average engagement lasting 20 months, trends for longer lead-time items, such as the dress, will generally take up to a year to come through,” observes Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook.co.uk. He expects Pippa-inspired dresses to be coming to an aisle near you in time for the 2018 wedding season.
By which point, the rumour mill may well have turned its attention to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
One thing is certain: come Saturday afternoon, designers and retailers the world over will be scurrying to run up designs in the style of Pippa Middleton’s wedding dress. After Kate’s wedding, Chinese wedding dress factories took just 15-20 days to produce a version of her dress.
“With the average engagement lasting 20 months, trends for longer lead-time items, such as the dress, will generally take up to a year to come through,” observes Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook.co.uk. He expects Pippa-inspired dresses to be coming to an aisle near you in time for the 2018 wedding season.
By which point, the rumour mill may well have turned its attention to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Pippa Middleton by numbers
00:56
The British Couturier: Giles Deacon
British
designer Giles Deacon has been seen visiting Pippa and Mum Carole at
home. He and his assistant came armed with what looked like bulky dress
bags- the kind which might carry a full-skirted wedding gown. Deacon
would be an inspired choice by Pippa; he recently refocussed his
business on couture pieces and is known for his beautifully gothic
creations. His girlfriend is Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline
Christie and she often chooses his structural, draped gowns for red
carpet premieres around the globe. However, the partnership does seem
unlikely.
The Discreet Brit: Amanda Wakeley
As the
go-to designer for Prime Minister Theresa May, Amanda Wakeley knows a
thing or two about dealing discreetly with VIP clients and the demands
of catering to occassions which will be beamed around the globe.
While she specialises in work-ready tailoring and pared-back evening gowns, Wakeley also has a thriving bridal collection which offers everything from sleek and revealing column designs to church-worthy, more covered-up gowns.
"Created for the modern bride, our collection maintains the Wakeley handwriting," reads the introduction for the line. "Our elegant, bias-cut wedding gowns that are both glamorous and romantic and our structured volume dresses which offer a chic updated on traditional wedding dresses." Opting for Wakeley would play perfectly into Pippa's ladylike, elegant personal style.
While she specialises in work-ready tailoring and pared-back evening gowns, Wakeley also has a thriving bridal collection which offers everything from sleek and revealing column designs to church-worthy, more covered-up gowns.
"Created for the modern bride, our collection maintains the Wakeley handwriting," reads the introduction for the line. "Our elegant, bias-cut wedding gowns that are both glamorous and romantic and our structured volume dresses which offer a chic updated on traditional wedding dresses." Opting for Wakeley would play perfectly into Pippa's ladylike, elegant personal style.
The International Society Favourite: Elie Saab
When it comes to OTT weddings, the socialite's go-to couture house is Elie Saab.
The house creates fairytale tulle gowns dripping in custom beading and
hand-sewn crystals, making them popular with the super rich brides like Khadija Uzhakhova and Salome Kintsurashvili who both chose Elie Saab creations for their jaw-dropping weddings this year.
“Thousands of hours goes into a dress like this,” James Lord, Founder and CEO of the Quintessentially Atelier has previously said to The Telegraph of the workmanship involved in a couture wedding dress like the Elie Saab above. “It will be entirely made by hand, with no sewing machines involved. If there are a thousand crystals, each could take up to a few minutes to sew on."
“Thousands of hours goes into a dress like this,” James Lord, Founder and CEO of the Quintessentially Atelier has previously said to The Telegraph of the workmanship involved in a couture wedding dress like the Elie Saab above. “It will be entirely made by hand, with no sewing machines involved. If there are a thousand crystals, each could take up to a few minutes to sew on."
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