When being sent to the Victoria and Albert Museum for research for my internship, I took the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Not only was it lovely to go to the V&A on such a warm summer's day, admire the museum and its surroundings, but I also got to go view an exhibition which i'd been wanting to visit for quite a while now: 'Wedding Dresses 1774-2014'.
Upon entering the two floor exhibition you are presented with an explanation of what it intends to do. This was one thing that remained in my head whilst walking round the showing, that it was not merely a display of wedding dresses, but that it aims to capture the magical experience of each individual bride's wedding day. It showcased a variety of dresses expanding over culture and time to demonstrate that each bride is different, not only displaying dresses of celebrities but also those of every-day women. The entire experience enkindles the essence of which each bride's personality is echoed through their wedding dress.
Here are a few of my favourites....
One of my favourites had to be this gown. Ian Stuart's 'Flower Bomb', due to its creativity and craftsmanship.
Another is Vivienne Westwood's dress, designed specifically for Deeta Von Teese. Although it's not your typical coloured wedding dress, it visually displays her personality.
This Dress was neither designed nor worn by anyone famous but is a classic example of asian culture, and how it is still present in festivities in today's society. This gown was worn by Anjali Bulley, an employee at the V&A.
Finally, my absolute favourite. Kate Moss's dress which was designed by John Galliano. This dress is stunning, no photo could do it justice. It took 701 hours to embroider the dress and 253 for the veil. 270,000 gold sequins were hand sewn onto the gown along with 120,000 paillons and 2800 pearl beads. It shimmered with each touch of the light.
I would recommend this exhibition to anyone interested in fashion, looking for wedding inspiration or even those intrigued by the historical aspect.
K.
