Kensington Palace: A Look Into The Crown to Couture Exhibition
Kensington Palace and its surrounding gardens may seem peaceful in comparison to the paparazzi-lined red carpets, but the royal residence has also been a backdrop to many historic fashion moments. The new Crown to Couture exhibition, running from 5 April until 29 October, merges celebrity culture with royal fashion, showing how the palace functioned as an early red carpet in the Georgian court.
The exhibition, with curators Polly Putnam and Claudia Acott Williams, “compares, contrasts and ultimately celebrates the culture and fashion” of Georgian and contemporary settings. This theme is explored through 200 artefacts placed around the State Apartments, making it the largest exhibition ever held by Kensington Palace.
As you enter the exhibition, you will see the historic Silver Tissue gown, believed to be worn by Lady Theophila Harris to the court of King Charles II in the 1660s, alongside the dress that Audrey Hepburn wore to the Oscars in 1954. Both are fashion relics of their respective eras, made to impress.
The exhibition highlights the underpinnings worn beneath dresses during the 18th century compared with modern times, from Dita Von Teese’s encrusted Mr Pearl corset to padded stockings (c.1700); nipple covers and fashion tape. The section also explores the ritualistic aspects of preparing for a major event, and Vogue’s ‘Getting Ready With’ video series is likened to the levee, a custom that invited courtiers to watch the monarch get dressed. In the same room, the Alexander McQueen suit that British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful wore to receive his OBE is on display – courtesy of Vogue’s style director Dena Giannini, who helped source and network for the exhibition, seen alongside the Oscar de la Renta dress worn by Anna Wintour to the Met Gala in 2021.
The exhibition provides insight into the creation and inspiration behind red-carpet looks and a sense of a closer relationship with the wearer. “One of the most rewarding and interesting aspects of the exhibition for us has been the creative collaborations,” say the curators. “In the 18th century, the palaces showcased works by the best of both new and established artists and creatives, and it only felt right that this exhibition should do the same.”
Billy Porter’s arrival at the Met Gala is a significant moment in the exhibition. Porter can always be trusted to deliver a spectacular red carpet moment, so he naturally makes multiple cameos throughout the exhibition. The velvet litter that the star glided on at the event – complete with mannequins clad in the same bejewelled fringes and gold trousers by Nicolas Putvinski that the attendants wore on the night – looks gargantuan compared to Queen Charlotte’s Sedan chair it is displayed alongside.
The jewellery room houses contemporary treasures and historic tiaras. Amidst the dazzling selection on offer is a special ring by Thelma West, called the Rebel Black, worn by Rihanna to the Met Gala in 2021. This 5-carat pear-shaped diamond from Botswana is set into black ceramic and gold and was designed for Sotheby’s Brilliant & Black exhibition in New York in 2021. Beyoncé’s gilded headpiece by House of Malakai (and look by Peter Dundas), which she performed in at the Grammys in 2017, takes centre stage in the Presence Chamber.
In the Spectacle section in the King’s Gallery, a red carpet provides a backdrop for a line-up of iconic celebrity looks. Paapa Essiedu’s velvet Off-White suit and Lizzo’s elaborate Thom Browne dress and cape (and gold flute!) from last year’s Met Gala are on display, alongside an archive copy of the vivid Christopher John Rogers gown and Lance Victor Moore mask that Lady Gaga wore when she performed at the 2020 VMAs.
The “Politics, Fashion and Power” segment in the Council Chamber is dedicated to looks that have doubled up as statements beyond style. The Ozwald Boateng suit Santan Dave wore to the Brit Awards in 2020 and Lizzo’s 2020 Billboard Music Awards minidress by Christian Siriano – emblazoned with “vote” – both feature, as does the rainbow cape worn by Lena Waithe to the Met in 2018, designed by Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera. “Wear the damn cape,” said Waithe.
In the Cupola room, Billy Porter’s ornate dress, designed by Giles Deacon, which he wore to the Oscars in 2020, is on display for the first time. A commissioned film directed by Milo Bennett, with style and creative direction by Rose Forde – which stars Royal Ballet principal dancers Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé wearing Stefan Cooke – is projected onto the grand historic walls, while Hayward and Sambé also star in special photographs by Justin French. The room also features some famous footwear, like Rihanna’s buckled Borli Manolos (2016 Billboard Music Awards) and the Louis Vuitton X Nike Air Force 1s that Virgil Abloh (who designed the shoe) wore to the Met Gala in 2021.
An array of fashion designers make up the collection in the final space. The curators focused on designers whose work has directly referenced 18th-century dress, including Erdem Moralıoğlu, Simone Rocha, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenneth Nicholson, Jeremy Scott and Richard Quinn.
The Crown to Couture exhibition is a magnificent representation of how the royal family and celebrity culture have influenced each other over the years. By showcasing both historical and contemporary fashion moments, it highlights the ongoing impact of royal fashion and how it continues to shape the red carpet.
