Kate Middleton More Involved in Dress Than Many Thought, and Does Chelsy Want Kate’s Shoes? (Gasp.)

As discreet as designer Sarah Burton has been about her design for Kate Middleton’s wedding gown, sooner or later we expected to hear at least a bit more about the process, especially the bride’s involvement.  Ms. Burton is in New York this week for the Met Ball, trunk shows and the opening of the McQueen retrospective at the Met.

Women’s Wear Daily caught up with the designer at Saks, and while Ms. Burton wouldn’t speak directly to the media about the topic, she did chat with a shopper about working with the Duchess.

“She said the princess was one of the most lovely women she has ever met and she was really low maintenance. She said the palace called her and the collaboration between her and Kate was 50-50.”

It is also said that “a lot of Kate’s personality” went into the dress. Below you see Ms. Burton adjusting the dress just before Kate walked up the aisle.

The designer did share that she and Kate shared many a laugh over the secretive process and subterfuge needed to keep Ms. Burton’s identity secret. 

When it came to working with both sister Pippa Middleton and the girls’ mother Carole, Ms. Burton apparently commented that the family was “very down to earth” and “very low maintenance”.

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One of the fastest turnarounds for a knockoff of the gown worn by the Duchess of Cambridge is that created by Irish designer Mary Rose McGrath.  Ms. McGrath is a designer for UK retailer House of Fraser. The photo below replicates the famous shot above, as Kate exits the Queen’s car and prepares to enter the Abbey.

From Irish Central:

“Also on display are copies of the bridesmaids’ dresses and a replica of her tiara made by designer Lauren Fiona Rankin from Coleraine.”

Ms. McGrath shares a number of photos on her site.

One of the nice things on the site is seeing the process, with photos of the pattern being cut, closeups of the fabric and lace, and more. (I can’t help myself, once a seamstress, always a seamstress.)

There are many detailed photos as well.

The dress has already been displayed, shown this past weekend at a Belfast shopping mall.  If interested in seeing more, click here to visit the designer’s site.

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One final note unrelated to The Dress, but relevant to a pair of shoes we discussed in this post, the LK Bennett black patent wedges that no longer seem to be available.

Tomorrow’s Daily Mail has a photo of Prince Harry’s paramour, Chelsy Davy, out shopping, looking at a similar pair of shoes. Oh, the horror. Apparently, Chelsy was looking at a less expensive pair of shoes, from The Mail’s story:

“In suede rather than patent leather and with a higher rattan heel rather than the more modest cork elevation of the LK Bennett pair, the trendy Office pair were on offer for a mere £60.

Indeed, Chelsy seemed quite keen on the shoes and paraded around the shop in them.”

There you have it.