Showcasing the style of Elizabeth II
by Nicol Degli Innocenti - LONDON
Elizabeth II, the queen who spanned a century of history and also of fashion, was born on 21 April 1926. To celebrate the centenary of her birth, the Royal Collection Trust organised the largest exhibition ever dedicated to the longest-serving queen of the British monarchy, which chronicles her personal and inimitable style.
Over two hundred of the dresses worn by Elisabeth from her childhood until the last years of her life were selected for the exhibition from the four thousand contained in the royal archive, as well as jewellery, scarves, shoes, hats and the ever-present handbags.
"Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style", which has just opened its doors at the King's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, is meant to be a tribute to the queen who, while following the evolution of fashions, always had an individual style and very precise tastes, but it is also a celebration of British haute couture and textiles, which Elizabeth supported throughout her life.
"His look is instantly recognisable and distinctive, and even at the age of 90, he did not hesitate to wear neon colours to be visible to the crowd," explains Caroline de Guitaut, curator of the exhibition. "Perhaps less well known is how well he recognised both artistic and entrepreneurial talent, and how passionately he always promoted the British fashion industry.
When she was a child Elisabeth and her sister Margaret were dressed 'à la Parisienne' by the French designer Jeanne Lanvin, who also created matching mini-dresses for their dolls. As soon as she was able to choose, however, Elisabeth was loyal to a number of decidedly British designers who accompanied her for decades, creating evening and formal dresses, day dresses and outfits for hunting trips, cruises and numerous trips abroad. Her patronage made famous names such as Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies and Angela Kelly.
