FASHION VERDICT
DESIGNERS Peter Pilotto were a surprising choice for a royal wedding dress.
The duo, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, are known for digital prints, bright colours and stylish silhouettes.
But for Eugenie, the choice wasn’t controversial — she has been wearing the British-based label’s creations for years, even though it was little heard- of outside fashion circles. ‘As soon as we announced the wedding, I knew the designer and the look straight away,’ she said.
It was a fantastic decision. Pilotto and Vos researched dresses previously worn by British royals to find a suitable silhouette. Initially the dress, which was constructed layer by layer, seemed traditional, with a corseted full skirt and long sleeves. But the print and more revealing V-neckline gave it a modern edge.
It was complemented by the Greville emerald kokoshnik tiara, lent by the Queen. The bride’s diamond and emerald earrings were a gift from the groom, and she finished the look with Charlotte Olympia heels.
Artistic Eugenie’s dress was full of personal touches.
The low back was a specific request, to highlight her childhood scar from surgery for scoliosis. And Peter Pilotto’s prints, so subtle they were only visible when they caught the light, were another personal touch, interweaving Eugenie’s and Jack’s family histories. Among the symbols were the York rose and ivy, a shamrock to represent her mother’s Irish roots, and a Scottish thistle.
Her train was the perfect length as she ascended the chapel steps, but not so long that it detracted from the classic structure of the dress.
Pilotto and Vos cut clothes so they hug the hips, cinch the waist and emphasise the bust in a way that is feminine and sexy but never over-the-top.
The pair, who work from an East London studio but have an international focus, have created clothes worn by Michelle Obama, Cindy Crawford, Cate Blanchett and Rihanna.
Pilotto is half-Austrian, halfItalian, while Vos was born in Libya and grew up in South America and the Middle East.