17th March 2023
Have you ever wondered at the parallels between getting ready for, say, an appearance at the Georgian royal court versus preparing for a turn on a modern day red carpet? We hadn't either until Crown to Couture, a glittering new exhibition opening at Kensington Palace on April 5th, came long. This new exhibition show us that the fashion rules of engagement across the centuries are closer than we think.
Next week, you can experience modern haute couture and historic royal style side-by-side at Crown to Couture, a fascinating new exhibition opening at Kensington Palace.
The palace, itself a world class stage for historic and conemporary royal fashion, opens the doors to its beautiful state apartment rooms, in which visitors will be able to discover over 200 fashion items on show, from a Met Gala gown by Thom Browne worn by Lizzo, to glittering regal dresses worn at 18th century Georgian court.
The magic in this show is that it allows visitors to trace everything from the preparation and styling required for certain events, and the 'fashion rules' that must be followed, ending with the final grand arrivals at both royal court and the red carpet.
Visitors to the show will learn the lengths that stars and royals alike go to to get noticed, as well as the more subtle messages that clothing can deliver, and discover sources of design inspiration for designers and couturiers.
The juxtaposition of modern and historical dress is a clever way to highlight the similarities between how the designers of today dress celebrity royalty for important public events, and how Kensington Palace was home to the original red carpet of the Georgian court.
Also on display is the Monique Lhuillier gown worn by Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the Emmys in 2019, and Billy Porter's incredible 'Sun God' outfit by The Blonds for the Met Gala 2019.
Historic items will include the Rockingham Mantua, one of several objects from Historic Royal Palaces' internationally renowned Ceremonial Dress Collection, which contains 10,000 items of historic dress from the 16th century to the present day. This royal archive forms the touchstone for Crown to Couture, placing the history of British fashion, life at court, British ceremonial traditions, and the lives of key historical figures alongside those of modern day cultural icons and the clothes they choose to wear when putting themselves on display.
Kensington Palace's collection famously contains items worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria and George III.
A one-of-a-kind highlight is the world-famous Silver Tissue Dress, on loan from the Fashion Museum in Bath, which opens the exhibition and is an example of the type of royal fashion worn during the court of King Charles II. The fine silk gown, handwoven with silver thread, is believed to be one of the very few complete dresses remaining from the 17th century.
"By bringing these familiar looks into the palace and placing them in conversation with spectacular 18th century court dress, we hope to provide a new perspective on these historic spaces and the seemingly distant customs of the Georgian Court," says Claudia Acott Williams, curator at Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), who says she wants to "allow visitors to experience the palace as it was meant to be experienced: filled to the brim with the most fashionable and influential names of the day."
The staging of the show has been created by the Emmy award winning Joseph Bennett, Alexander McQueen's production designer, a man who knows how to create a fashion moment, ultimately allowing visitors to imagine the palace when it was its most busy, exciting and culturally and politically important.
Crown to Couture, April 5th- October 29, 2023.
Tickets allow access to Kensington Palace and to the Victoria: A Royal Childhood exhibition.
