Sarah Burton Opens Up About the Royal Wedding Dress and Creating Her Own Legacy

Started by PrincessOfPeace, August 22, 2014, 09:20:33 PM

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PrincessOfPeace

QuoteSarah Burton, 40, has had to contend with two of the biggest challenges any fashion designer has faced in recent memory: Assuming the mantle of creative director at Alexander McQueen following the legendary designer's suicide, and not long after, designing one of the most hotly anticipated and iconic wedding gowns of all time, for the Duchess of Cambridge. And she did it all while avoiding the spotlight as much as possible. But now she's ready to open up a bit — and she did to T Magazine.
More: Sarah Burton NY Times Article, Sarah Burton Royal Wedding Dress ? Style News - StyleWatch - People.com

Limabeany

Her legacy is sabotaging the McQueen legacy with run of the mill dresses more suited for Zara or Mango than McQueen...
"You don't have to be pretty. You don't owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don't owe it to your mother, you don't owe it to your children, you don't owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked 'female'." Diana Vreeland.

Canuck

Great article.  I've enjoyed learning more about her since the Royal wedding -- it seems like she was a huge part of McQueen since very early in the company's history, but (at least to someone like me) really not in the public spotlight prior to Lee's death. 

I don't pretend to have a huge knowledge of high fashion, but it seems like her collections have been well received in the fashion industry and she clearly has enormous respect and love for her late boss.  I love most of the McQueen that Kate has worn -- to me, it's a nice blend of some classic McQueen elements with pieces that are practical and stylish in the real world.  I know McQueen became famous for his over-the-top couture shows, but I've always been most impressed by his ready-to-wear lines when they incorporated a more subtle version of his dramatic runway looks.  I think Burton is doing a great job of carrying on that legacy.

Limabeany

There is nothing of McQueen in anything that Kate has worn, you cannot distinguish Sarah Burton from High Street.
"You don't have to be pretty. You don't owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don't owe it to your mother, you don't owe it to your children, you don't owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked 'female'." Diana Vreeland.

Canuck

I very much disagree with that.  McQueen is known for sharp tailoring, with the trademark structured shoulders as one example; that's evident in the coat Kate wore to Easter services in Australia, for example.  His use of military elements has been echoed in a number of Burton/McQueen pieces Kate has, like the navy coat with the double row of gold buttons from 2011 and the long blue coat that's been worn a few times this year.  The incredible movement McQueen got out of sculptured ruffles at the bottom of pieces (like the Lee-era McQueen sailor dress Kate wore to Prince Edward Island) is also found on the pink skirt/top Kate wore on the Aus/NZ tour.  Those are just a few examples, but I've seen many more.

I think people forget that although McQueen was best known for his crazy couture, he also made more conservative clothing (which is obviously what Kate would be choosing for Royal appearances) that was much more in line with the Burton pieces we see on Kate.  Likewise, Burton makes a lot of clothing that is WAY more high-fashion or avant garde than the pieces Kate opts for; I don't think it makes sense to try to gauge her work for the brand based solely on the pieces chosen by a woman who necessarily has to wear the most conservative possible options.  Here are some looks at Burton runway work that, to my eye, is absolutely in keeping with the brand back when she was helping Lee run it:  Alexander McQueen Spring 2014 Ready-to-Wear Collection on Style.com: Runway Review and http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/a-history-of-sarah-burtons-inspired-collections-and-stage-sets-for-alexander-mcqueen/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

And on this:

Quote
you cannot distinguish Sarah Burton from High Street

If you find anything that looks like these on High Street, please do let me know!
The Fashionista Stories: Kate Middleton in Alexander McQueen at the Order of the Garter Service
Kate Middleton BBC Sports Personality of the Year: Teal McQueen Dress
It?s McQueen for Kate on Saint Andrew?s Day » What Kate Wore

You might find knockoffs on High Street, especially because everyone is trying to cash in on Kate selling out outfits, but you won't find anything with the details and tailoring that make Burton's looks so special.