The Naked Dress

As headlines turn to the all-important question of who will be chosen to design Kate Middleton’s wedding gown; the barely-there frock that caught the Prince’s eye back in 2002 is rumoured to be worth £100,000.

Worn by our future Queen at a charity fashion show while at St Andrews University, the designer Charlotte Todd said it cost her only £30 to put the dress together back in 2000. However, Ms Todd has also said she will never sell it despite bookies predicting it will rise in value to a possible £100,000 if Kate becomes Queen. The last time a “naked” dress sparked so much interest was back in the mid-1990s with season one (episode 6: Secret Sex) of Sex and the City which saw Big fall for Carrie, in a big way!

So what of the latest “naked” dress? Returned to Ms Todd’s mother’s closet following the fashion show, the 31 year-old received an offer for £1,000 to sell the dress but refused. A fashion one-hit-wonder, she did not go on to pursue a design career opting instead for a job in an aquarium. But she can hold onto her claim to fame with her role in the royal love story after William really noticed Kate when she strutted down the catwalk in Ms Todd’s design. She said, ‘It’s part of fashion history – the moment William could first have fallen in love with Kate – and that makes me really proud.’

With the date set and the venue booked, Britain prepares for the royal wedding and a new bank holiday weekend (which as luck would have it, coincides with my own wedding anniversary on May 2nd). So who will be the lucky fashionista who gets to join Ms Todd in continuing the tapestry of this royal love story? Bets are on Philippa Lepley as the designer of choice with those in the style-know predicting Ms Middleton will want to choose someone well-established but without a celebrity that will overpower her own on her special day.

Previous designers who have dressed those brides entering into the British monarchy include Sassi Holford (http://www.sassiholford.com), Jasper Conran (http://www.jasperconran.com) and Lindka Cierach (http://www.lindkacierach.co.uk). Despite cementing their love with Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring, it is unlikely that William’s fiancée will opt to be dressed by Elizabeth Emanuel, who famously designed Diana’s bridal gown for her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

So we can but wait. Only five months to go… can our patience hold out?!

Bride does Battersea Park

Second row at a catwalk show, at the Designer Wedding Show in Battersea Park...



Sassi Holford kicked off the show to some mellow rnb beats, showcasing a range of full ballgowns, slinky silky numbers and nipped-in waists. Temperley took to the runway next mixing a 1920s flapper vibe with 1940s detailing and swarovski embellishments. One that caught my eye was a v-neck, empire-line floor-length gown with lace overlay adorned with crystals.

Annette Carey Couture celebrated an eclectic collection combining quirky romance and structured classics. One model stalked the runway complete with a top hat and cane to match the black and white striped bow bringing up her rear!

Heirloom Couture added unique accessories to update traditional designs, from a skinny blue belt to a knee-length ruffle skirt, and 1920s headbands.

Michael Buble's 'Crazy Love' provided the soundtrack for Ritva Westenius's line-up, featuring one of my favourite dresses in the show, consisting of a corseted top and flowing skirt seemingly created out of flower corsages and butterfly wings.

Delphine Manivet experimented with unusual ideas of what constitutes the ideal wedding dress; from a mini dress with an extended bustle and train, to a boyfriend-shirt over a ra-ra skirt, the collection was unexpected to say the least.

A word to Emma Hunt, horizontal stripes do not have a place on a wedding gown, there is a way of doing it right. Having said that, the champagne panelling and floor-length ivory duchesse satin was a knock-out.

Stephanie Allin played with tulle, monochrome and tailoring, combining girlish innocence with delicate shapes. Sweetheart necklines, bell skirts, black tulle peeking out from beneath a fishtail skirt and a long white jacket, made for an incredible catwalk experience.

And last, but most definitely not least, the individual stylings of Miss Vivienne Westwood. Embracing the past season's trend of accuentuating a woman's curves and exhibiting a continuation of the much-famed dress as seen on Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw in the 2008 movie, Westwood served up an array of body-con inspired knee-length dresses, tutu-esque puffball mini-dresses and long slinky evening gowns.

While some of her creations verged on the bizarrely eccentric, Westwood pulled it off with typical flare.

Being surrounded by beautiful bridal gowns all morning filled me with excitement at the prospect of my own date with destiny as I am due to tie the knot in 2 months, 2 weeks, 5 days, 23 hours, 29 minutes and 12 seconds!!!! I'm picking up my wedding dress tomorrow with my Mum and I cannot wait!!!!!