And the bridesmaid wore...
Published at 21:04, Wednesday, 01 June 2011
When Carol Roberts was at home watching the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the moment she saw the four young bridesmaids she couldn’t take her eyes off their dresses.
As a stockist of Nicki Macfarlane bridesmaid dresses Carol, who owns Carol Roberts Couture Bridal in Carlisle, recognised the trademark details of the designer.
“There had been huge secrecy surrounding the designer of the dresses,” she says. “I was watching the wedding at home with my mum and the moment I saw the dresses I just knew they were by Nicki Macfarlane.
“They had her signature detail of huge bows and cap sleeves.”
Within 15 minutes of William and Kate saying their vows Carol picked up an email confirming the dress designer.
Kate Middleton’s four bridesmaids – Lady Louise Windsor, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong Jones, Grace Van Cutsem and Eliza Lopes – followed Kate up the aisle of Westminster Abbey wearing ballerina length, box pleated full dresses made of ivory silk satin gazar, layered over organza, wild silk and generous petticoats.
The edges are hand finished with an English lace trim and a wild silk gold sash is tied in a bow at the back with pleated, lace trimmed puff sleeves. The gazar and satin organza are the same fabrics as used to make Kate’s dress.
The dresses were designed by Nicki and hand-made by Nicki and her daughter Charlotte at their homes in Wiltshire and Kent.
As a special memento, the bridesmaid’s name and the date of the wedding were hand-embroidered onto the lining of each dress.
While Nicki Macfarlane would never reproduce any of the dresses made for the royal wedding one of her new designs will be a dress, ‘Kate’, which has cap sleeves and is made out of silk dupion.
Carol Roberts Couture Bridal is the only stockist of Nicki Macfarlane dresses in Cumbria and the only other stockist in the north is in Preston.
“I was really excited,” she remembers. “We’ve had great interest in the dresses with people travelling from all over the north.
“Nicki Macfarlane was the first brand I chose for the shop.
“They are beautiful dresses.
“They are silk and hand finished and made in this country.
“I’m really proud to be holding her dresses.”
Carol is already starting to see the impact the royal wedding is having on wedding trends.
“People have been asking about flower rings for their bridesmaids,” she says. “When I got married 17 years ago I had fresh flowers in my hair and it’s coming back in.
“Brides-to-be are asking for lace and dresses with sleeves on the shoulder.
“Pippa Middleton’s dress is also having an impact as brides want something simpler.”
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk
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