Pippa Middleton married James Matthews on May 20, 2017
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She wore a custom lace wedding dress by British designer Giles Deacon
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Pippa's wedding look had a few similarities to her older sister Kate's Sarah Burton bridal gown
Pippa Middletonbecame theworld’s most famous bridesmaidafter her sisterKate Middleton’s 2011 nuptials, but it was her ownwedding dressin which she truly shone.
On May 20, 2017, Pippa walked down the aisle tomarryhusband James Matthewsin a bespoke silk cotton lace gown with a corseted bodice, cap sleeves, a high neckline and a heart-shaped keyhole back designed by Giles Deacon.
Pippa topped the look off with a Stephen Jones veil and a pair of ivory-and-pearl Manolo Blahnik pumps.
Ahead, everything to know about Pippa Middleton's wedding dress, including the unexpected accessory she recycled from her sister's royal wedding.
She chose a British designer
Pippa paid homage to her British roots by walking down the aisle in a stunning creation byBritish designer Giles Deacon. He launched his own label, GILES, in 2003 and earned a British Fashion Designer of the Year award in 2006.
Prior to designing Pippa’s 2017 gown, Deacon’s made his sartorial mark at the 2012 London Olympics, whenVictoria Beckhamperformed with the Spice Girls in his custom minidress with a dramatic train, and at the 2013 Met Gala, for whichSarah Jessica Parkersported one of his floral garments for the evening’s"PUNK: Chaos to Couture” theme.
Deacon expressed his delight at working on his most famous commission, sayingin a statement, "I was thrilled to work with Pippa on her dress.”
“She has a great eye,” he later toldBusiness of Fashionof Pippa, adding, “She knew whatshewanted.”
Pippa's dress featured hand-embroidered pearls and hidden seams
While Pippa’s gown appeared to have completely seamless stitching, Deacon toldBusiness of Fashionthere was actually a lot of behind-the-scenes work that went into hiding them — which is exactly what he was going for.
“I wanted that ‘’How-was-that-done?’ factor,” he told the publication.
As for how he accomplished the effect, Deacon revealed that Pippa’s silk cotton lace was “all hand-pieced.” Said Deacon: “[That’s] why you don’t actually see a seam.”
The designer’s team also hand-embroidered pearls along the neck, bodice and corset to emphasize its smooth lines.
Her dress was inspired in part by a 1960s movie
Deacon cited a scene in a 1963 Luchino Visconti film calledThe Leopardas inspiration for Pippa’s gown in a May 2017 interview withBusiness of Fashion.
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“I always loved the dancing scenes inThe Leopard,” he said. “I know they were all hoop crinolines in the film, but there’s something gorgeous about having that great movement, with the skirt spinning round, keeping its shape.”
Pippa’s dress followed suit, with a tulle train at the back of the skirt that the designer said enabled it to float and pleats at the front that allowed it to move more freely. “There’s incredible movement,” Deacon explained to the publication.
The gown had similar elements to Kate’s
Pippa’s ivory wedding gown featured several elements that were similar to the ivorySarah Burton-designed dress Kate wore on her big day.
Both sisters chose a corseted bodice with a lace overlay, though their necklines differed quite a bit: Kate’s featured a deep, plunging V, while Pippa’s more modest mockneck was reminiscent ofGrace Kelly’s bridal look
The shape of their skirts was also nearly identical, with both Kate and Pippa opting for pleated A-line silhouettes.
Last but not least, both women covered their hair with long, intricate veils, though Kate’s was much longer than her younger sister’s, as was her gown, which featured a sprawling9-foot train.
Pippa previously wore her “something old” at Kate's royal wedding
If Pippa’s wedding earrings looked familiar, it’s because the British socialite wore them six years prior for theroyal wedding, effectively serving as her “something old.”
Commissioned from British jeweler Robinson Pelham by her mother and father for Kate’s nuptials, they featured a pear-cut diamond drop and a floral motif.
She wore a bespoke diamond headpiece
Robinson Pelham was also responsible for the understated tiara the bride wore atop her head.
Dubbed the Maidenhair Fern tiara, it was crafted with 18-karat white gold and diamonds, per company cofounder Zoe Benyon, who spoke toVogueabout the headpiece.
“It’s all about balance,” Benyon told the outlet in 2017. “You do not want the dress and tiara to fight, so one has to take a back seat.
Benyon also revealed that the tiara was tailored to Pippa’s face shape. As she explained: “Tiaras are like sunglasses; not every one suits every shape of face.”
Read the original article onPeople
