Claire English Jewellery
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Amelie $10.98 Perhaps the most charming movie of all time, Amélie is certainly one of the top 10. The title character (the bashful and impish Audrey Tautou) is a single waitress who decides to help other lonely people fix their lives. Her widowed father yearns to travel but won't, so to inspire the old man she sends his garden gnome on a tour of the world; with whispered gossip, she brings together two cranky... |
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Jewelry: From Antiquity to the Present (World of Art) $9.97 "Well written narrativeâ¦. remarkably fresh ⦠This admirable volume is excellent value with its impeccable text and numerous illustrations."âJournal of the Royal Society of ArtsFrom the simple shell beads worn by Palaeolithic hunters to the splendor of Renaissance gold work and the sumptuousness of Art Nouveau enamels, here is a fascinating and informative guide to the development of... |
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Alchemy: A Passion for Jewels $11.99 An exquisite look into the art of fine jewelry making, through the eyes of famed designer Temple St. Clair A Southern girl with a nomadic spirit and a voracious appetite for history and culture, Temple St. Clair grew up spending summer vacations in Morocco and Bavaria, studied at an international boarding school in Switzerland, and went night diving in Honduras with the son of Jacques Coustea... |
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Anodized!: Brilliant Colors & Bold Designs for Aluminum Jewelry (Lark Jewelry Books) $6.99 Brilliant, bold, and totally cool: anodized aluminum makes it easy to create fun and eye-catching graphic jewelry.This entry-level book introduces the simple yet gorgeous art of coloring pre-anodized sheets of aluminum using such techniques as dip and overdyeing, hand painting, dripping, spraying, silk screening, and more. Twelve step-by-step projects guide readers through the process of turning t... |
Amazing Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress
Did you get up early to watch the century wedding or just on the spot to enjoy the festivities? Whatever, it was really overwhelming. The colorful hats donned by guests from various field, the grand dignified Westminster Abbey, the cortege with royal riding on the horses, and the royal couple as well as the kisses on balcony, everything was impressed. What's more, we are all obsessed with Kate Middleton's wedding dress which was kept as the top secret.
Who is the designer? Yes, it is Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen. So here let's see the detail of this eye-catching dress.
The Design
The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. The lace design was hand-engineered (appliquéd) using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.
The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres 70 centimetres. The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen's designs. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.
The Fabrics
French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace to be hand-worked in the Irish Carrickmacross needlework tradition.
All other fabrics used in the creation of the dress were sourced from and supplied by British companies. The choice of fabrics followed extensive research by Sarah Burton and her team.
The Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework (RSN), based at Hampton Court Palace, assisted the Alexander McQueen team in accurately cutting out the delicate motifs from the lace fabrics and positioning the lace motifs with precision into the new design. The lace motifs were pinned, 'framed up' and applied with stab stitching every two to three millimetres around each lace motif. The workers washed their hands every thirty minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and the needles were renewed every three hours, to keep them sharp and clean.
Veil and Jewellery
The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework. The veil is held in place by a Cartier 'halo' tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen.
The Bride's earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre. Inspiration for the design comes from the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. The earrings were made to echo the tiara.
Wedding Shoes
The wedding shoes have made hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
After the royal wedding gown being revealed, many fashion experts gave their comment on Kate's choice. Nina Garcia, the Marie Claire fashion director said: "I am so thrilled Kate made such a wise choice of designer, it was appropriate yet relevant. A victory of British designers and inspiration for all aspiring talent!" Christian Siriano, the winner of Project Runway Season 5 submitted his point of view on twitter "Yes, I did get to see the dress. Kate looked stunning and it was perfection, very elegant and chic. It was also a wonderful McQueen moment."
About the Author
the Official Royal Wedding website