One of the biggest decisions Princess Kate had to make for her 2011 wedding to Prince William was who would be the lucky designer to craft her dress.
The eyes of the world were on the bride when she stepped out at Westminster Abbey, wearing the most gorgeous lace Alexander McQueen wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton. The sweeping gown has gone down in the wedding dress hall of fame for masterfully blending traditional bridal wear with modern elegance.
Ahead of her big day, Kate met with former British Vogue editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman, who helped advise the soon-to-be royal on who should dress her for the momentous occasion. Fifteen years on from the royal wedding, Alexandra has revealed the Princess of Wales' reaction when she first suggested Sarah for the job.
© Chris JacksonPrincess Kate's reaction
Alexandra recalled Kate being "keen to know my thoughts" as they looked through previous Vogue editions and considered iconic British designers like Vivienne Westwood and Catherine Walker. "From Catherine’s reaction to these, it was impossible to read what she thought," Alexandra wrote for the Daily Mail.
Alexandra recalled Kate asking her who she "thought would be best". She admitted: "Until that moment I hadn’t had a firm favourite, but I considered the options in front of us and suggested that Alexander McQueen – now designed by Sarah Burton, who had taken over the role of creative director after his death – would be a good choice."
© Getty ImagesThe journalist explained the designer in question "had a quietness about her that I thought would suit the bride-to-be, but also a strength of opinion and great expertise."
"Catherine just nodded and thanked me for all the help," Alexandra, who discovered on Kate's wedding day that she had indeed chosen Sarah, remembered.
Why Kate chose McQueen
Kate's gown, believed to have cost her parents £250,000, featured a Victorian-inspired bodice, 58 organza-covered buttons and a nearly nine-foot-long train.
"Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing," the palace explained in a statement at the time.
© WPA Pool"Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work."
Designer Sarah said she was "honoured to pick up the challenge". She told the New York Times, T Magazine: "I loved making the dress, I loved adapting my ideas to suit the person and the occasion, and we put our hearts into it."
