‘Fashion Rules’ at Kensington Palace.

A new exhibition opened last week at Kensington Palace named ‘Fashion Rules’ 21 couture dresses worn by the Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana will be on show for the public to visit. This exhibition is defiantly one I am going to visit when next in London it showcases how much the Royals have influenced fashion over the past 50 years, but also how much they have credited British designers in them being recognised on a world stage.

 From the fifties Queens dresses designed by Norman Hartnell to the more daring younger sister Princess Margaret and her long time collaboration with Mark Bohan creative director at Dior – whose dresses were more provocative. To my favourite dress worn by Diana designed by Zandra Rhodes in 1986 of her tour in Japan – the subtle pink compliments the Japanese sensibility and shows how she dressed on royal visits had to be respectable to the nation she visited.



Image from www.today.com

Nowadays Kate is having a similar effect on the British public she uses her position as an ambassador for British fashion from her McQueen wedding dress to her wearing high street greats such as Reiss, Whistles and Hobbs. It is not just the public which the British Royals have influenced but many a designer such as McQueen in his Fall 2008 collection.

 

Image from blog.modelmanagment.com

 

Also, usually street inspired magazines such as Love have had a royal inspired cover – such as Agyness Dean in 2009 and the once renowned bag girl image of fashion Kate Moss has had a royal makeover on the cover of British Vogue in 2001.

 

Image from blog.modelmanagement.com

Image from blog.modelmanagement.com

 

 

This exhibition I plan to visit at the end of month so watch out for a proper review – but I think if you’re in London (it runs for the next 2 years) it is worth a visit because we owe more to the Royals and how we dress then it first appears.