A ROYAL FASHION PROMOTION

Photo: EPA

We were in Montreal at the same time as an official visit of the Danish Crownprince and princess, including a Danish fashion delegation were visiting Toronto and Ottawa the 17-19 of September. 

 The official purpose was to strenghten the relations between Denmark and Canada, as well as the partnership between companies. The focus was on health, food, architecture / construction and fashion / design. 

Photo: Martin Høien, Billed Bladet

But, as we were checking the Media during the week, we were surprised that we didn´t hear anything about it at all in Montreal. Afterwards, I only found something on a few blogs and Daily Mail online.

Maybe more important things were going on in Canada or the preparations were not in order. I don´t know. But at least I hope it payed off somehow.

A ROYAL AFFAIR – NOMINATION

Unfortunately  "A Royal Affair" didn´t win any Golden Globes, but there is still a chance at The Oscars in february. The danish movie is nominated in the category, Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

The film by Nikolaj Arcel, produced in 2012, is based on a periodic drama that took place at the Court in Denmark around 1769-72.

It´s a story that focuses on the romance between the Danish Queen Caroline Matilda (1751-75) - and the Germean Count Johann Friedrich von Struensee, the Royal Physician of mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway  (1749-1808).

J.F. Struensee, managed through his influence on the King to reform the country in many ways, but was eventually overthrown and executed in 1772.

Christian VII's and Caroline Mathilde marriage was dissolved and she was deported back to Germany.

 The Queen and Struensee playing chess, while the king is teasing a parrot.

 

 The King is looking at Struensee and the Queen, holding their daugther.

 

King Christian VII

FASHION NEWS OF THE WEEK

There is always so much going on in the world of fashion, that I from now on have decided to mention it in "headlines" until I get to write more about it later on. . .

Sadly the great Italian fashion Icon, editor and collector, Anna Piaggi, that I posted about here, passed away yesterday, 81 years old. May she rest in peace.

Announcement: 5 year old Dansk Fashion Award transforms into Elle Style Award from 2013. Read more here.

Take a look at Spring/Summer 2013 at Copenhagen Fashion Week, that started today! As always you can follow it on DR K, starting tonight.

H.R.H. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is on The International Best-Dressed List in Vanity Fair´s September Style Issue. Take a look here or pick up the Magazine later this month.

DAYS OF ROYAL SPLENDOUR

The Royal welcoming committee 

at the Gala dinner at Christianborg Castle.

This past weekend I have followed the culmination of all the 40 th. Jubilee celebrations around Queen Margrethe of Denmark, as a Monarch.

I was quite excited to see all the dresses at the different events. I won´t say a word about what I didn´t like, but try to stay positive and show a selection of dresses that in my opinion stod out and were inspiring.

As you can see The Royal family looks like they agreed on different shades of blue in velvet and silkduchess. Maybe in honour of late King Frederik 9. who died the day before The Queen took over.

Especially I noticed the dress of Princess Benedikte. Very interesting mix of color, fabric and technics. Notice how the light affects the color. 

The simple dress of her sister, former Queen Anne Marie of Greece, with a nice bow-detail in the front looked elegant too.

Princess Nathalie of Berleburg, the daughter of Princess Benedikte also stod out in a very nice dress, that would have looked even nicer if the fit had been better.

The day before Danish television/ DR were celebrating The Queen with a nice Event in their Concert Hall. Here are the Scandinian Royals arriving.

Photos: Anthon Unger, Marie Hald, ScanPix and Polfoto.

Queen Margrethe in a new nice emerald-green lace-gown, most likely designed by herself and made by her personal tailor, Birgitte Thaulow. 

Queen Silvia of Sweden also looking nice in a pink lace- or brocade-gown.

Queen Sonja of Norway in an old, but remarkable gown from 1991, by the late danish couturier, Erik Mortensen of Balmain.

ROYAL EXHIBITIONS

This year we will be celebrating Queen Margrethe of Denmark, because of her 40th Jubilee as a Monarch, with two special exhibitions, that I personally look forward to.

The first one is a retrospective exhibition at The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, that tells the story of her role as a Monarch.

The other one "Kongelig Galla" - Eventyrlig Couture at "De Danske Kongers kronologiske Samling" at Amalienborg Castle, displays a selection of the Queen´s Gala-dresses since the 1960´es from Danish and international Couturiers as Pierre Balmain. Absolutely a must see if you like fashion-history and Haute Couture.

DREAM WEDDINGS

Photo: Getty Images

Two fabulous weddings took place this weekend and was of course covered extensively by the media.

The Rock´n roll wedding of supermodel Kate Moss and Jamie Hince of The Kills in the Cotswolds in England friday.
Kate Moss looked very pretty wearing a wedding gown of her long time friend, John Galliano. Respect!
The sheer elegant beaded gown looked very contemporary, even though  inspired by the 1920-30 flapper-style and suited her perfectly.

The second wedding was The Royal wedding of long time bachelor Prince  Albert of Monaco, who finally was getting married to his fiancée of five years, South-African swimmer, Charlene Wittstock.

Even though the rumors about a third illegitimate child on his side almost made the bride cancel the wedding last week. Apparently other rumors was saying, she tried to escape and made it to the airport, but was stopped and held back. Of course officials denies everything. But just think about all the money that are involved, the prestige, the sponsors etc. Even if it´s not true, it´s a good story. 

For the civil wedding friday Charlene Wittstock wore a light blue Chanel dress with a jacket, by Karl Lagerfeld, who is a long time friend of the Grimaldi-family.

In my opinion not to compare with the stylish wedding ensemble Grace Kelly wore at her and Prince  Ranier´s civil wedding in 1956 though.
A suit designed by Helen Rose, who also did her famous wedding-gown. See my previous post on Grace Kelly here.

But Charlene Wittstock really looked stunning in the Wedding-gown from Armani Privée, at the  Ceremony yesterday.
It was a very contemporary, simple, but heavily beaded column gown with draped shoulders and a long, trailing fishtail skirt and an extensive train attached.

Photos from Associated Press

The designers strategic nursing of their future clients payed off once again. I´m sure the gowns were gifts, because the publicity Chanel and Armani gets, makes it all worth while. For more facts on the wedding, check here.

THE WEDDINGDRESS OF THE CENTERY

Photo: Rex FeaturesAP

-Is maybe an exaggeration, since the Century just started. 

Never the less, I liked the Wedding-dres. Even though the design-signature was not that strong. If you didn´t know, it was not obvious that Sarah Burton from the house of Alexander McQueen did it. No doubt that she is very talented, as you can see in the 3 dresses below.

The dress was very beautiful and appropriate. I think it looked like a new and more modern interpretation of Queen Elisabeth´s Weddingdress. The same 40th silhouette, but more bodyconscious, emphasizing Catherine Middleton´s nice figure with a corset, handmade lace and padded hips.

The dress was most probably made of a heavy ivory duchess-silk with lace applique on top, several layers of silkgazar underskirts and an eight feet long train.
The short, but full veil of ivory silk-tulle trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers was held in place with a modest halo tiara from Cartier.

I am sure the wedding will affect the wedding-industry in many ways. We will most likely see more body-consciousness, more lace, trains and full skirts.

Do you wonder if you saw a dress like that before, search for Paul McCartney and Heater Mills wedding in 2002, the bodice is exactly the same. But look and compare yourself.

The wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, 1947

Sarah Burton said:
 -"It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. It was such an incredible honor to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created. I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship".

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com

WEDDING FRENZY

Tomorrow is the day all royalists have been waiting for.

As I wrote in an earlier post about a month ago, the anticipation and culmination of all the media frenzy for the Royal English wedding is coming closer.

Hopefully the couple will be able to enjoy their day, despite all the attention.

Of course I will have a look as a professional, to see how the wedding-dress turned out and who made it.
It surely will mean a great deal, acknowledgement and demand for the creator. I just hope he or she is prepared for that.

If you feel inspired for your own wedding-dress, I can accommodate most wishes. Just get in touch.

A PRINCESS TO BE

Photo credit: Mario Testino via Reuters

Since the announcement of Prince Williams wedding with Kate Middleton last november, there has been a lot of speculation  on who is going to make her weddingdress. She is advised to choose a British designer/ Couturier when she marries William.

Several designers have been mentioned in the run. Matthew Williamson has been mentioned, but is not really interested. Vivienne Westwood would have loved to, but would have liked Kate to catch up a little bit somewhere with style.
Amanda Wakely have been mentioned. Designer Ben de Lisi claims it is Bruce Oldfield that is going to make the dress.
But Sarah Burton, the successor of Alexander McQueen is  also a very  strong contender. I like what she is doing, but it might just be to daring.
My guess is Bruce Oldfield. What are yours? I guess we will  have to be patience until April the 29., when the world will be watching.

A ROYAL WEDDING DRESS

In 2004 I was approach by the founder of Tidens Samling, the late Annette Hage. She was planning a Special exhibition in connection with the Royal wedding between Crown-prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson later this year. 

 

She wanted me to create my bit on how a Royal wedding dress could look like. I came up with this classic design, but in a cognac-colored Dupion silk. 

The wedding dress has an empire-cut, long wide sleeves and a long square train with a big border and of course a matching lace veil.

It was mentioned in different papers and magazines.