Grace of princess straight out of a fairytale

Kate Middleton’s wedding dress managed to capture the essence of romance, Britishness, tradition and continuity, all stitched into its very fabric, with the bride emerging every inch, every millimetre, the modern fairytale princess.

The name of the designer was revealed only at the last minute, as Kate stepped out of her car at the doors of Westminster Abbey, but it was indeed Sarah Burton of the House of Alexander McQueen – a choice that delighted the many who had predicted both the appointment and the style of the gown, which encased the bride demurely within an ivory lace-overlaid, long-sleeved satin bodice, fitted to show off her tiny waist, before blossoming out into a sweeping and dramatic full skirt with 2.7 metre train.

The lace overlay and the pure elegance of the dress immediately drew comparisons with Grace Kelly, who married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in 1956.

Kate Middleton was said to have worked closely on the design with Sarah Burton, who had been widely tipped to win the coveted job of creating this most historic of wedding dresses.

According to St James’s Palace, Miss Middleton chose the British brand Alexander McQueen for the “beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing”.

“She had a vision in mind that she wanted to support the Arts and Crafts tradition,” it added. The Arts and Crafts tradition advocated truth to materials and traditional craftsmanship using simple forms and often Romantic styles of decoration.

The dress’s lace design incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and the shamrock – the four floral emblems of the United Kingdom – and showcases not just excellence in British design, but also in British fabric manufacture, combining French Chantilly lace with English Cluny lace, all embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.

The Alexander McQueen label is owned by a French group, but is one of Britain’s most hallowed fashion names and one of the very few to achieve renown on a global scale. Kate’s choice further catapults the brand onto the world fashion stage and suggests that she might well follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana in promoting Britain as a fashion leader.

Sarah Burton’s design was considered “safe”, but won praise from wedding fashion experts.

“I am so delighted that she chose the House of McQueen,” said Leeds designer Caroline Matthews of Caroline Atelier. “The dress is stunning and I’m glad it’s modern but with a regal feel. Chantilly lace and corded lace were always going to play a big part, as it’s so romantic, but can still give a structured feel.”

Leeds-based wedding dress designer Anita Massarella agreed: “I thought it was absolutely beautiful and the bodice and sleeves are exactly as I predicted. She looked so regal.

“I thought her sister Pippa’s dress was so striking. There was a lot of style and quality and skill displayed and it was a big shot in the arm for British fashion.”

Indeed, Pippa Middleton’s dress was also by the House of McQueen, and was a relatively racy number for Westminster Abbey, in a sleek and clinging column shape with cowl neckline – a classic Alexander McQueen style, beautifully cut to emphasise the body’s shape and enhance drama.

“Alexander McQueen was very traditional and trained on Savile Row, and that’s very much in keeping with Royal Family values,” said David Rowley, of Harvey Nichols Leeds. “Yet it’s also very modern, contemporary and world-class, so a good fusion.”

Despite the untimely suicide last year of the brilliant but troubled designer, the label he created is now at the height of its fame, built on his legacy of daring, dramatic but classically and traditionally rooted designs.

Ironically, like the names of Princess Diana and Grace Kelly, the McQueen name will now live on as a style icon for ever more.