Elizabeth’s wedding dress and coronation gown
Mr Johnson said: “Queen Elizabeth’s fashion designer, Norman Hartnell, had a true creative flair that came forth when he designed the two statement pieces of his life: the Queen’s wedding dress and her coronation gown.”
The Queen’s wedding dress embodied all the things that a Queen of England must be.
It was regal, embedded with 10,000 pearls and crystals imported from the US. It was relatable and stamped with post-war relevancy. The fabric was purchased with ration vouchers, as was common amongst brides at the time.
The Queen’s coronation dress featured embroidery in gold, silver, pale green, and pink, threaded by six skilled artisans. These were emblems of all her dominions embellished the majestic design.
Mr Hartness wrote in his autobiography: “I thought of the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and everything heavenly that might be embroidered on a dress destined to be historic.”