Kate Middleton Wears Alexander McQueen At BAFTA
Kate Middleton and Prince William appeared at the BAFTA Awards on Sunday evening in the couple’s first ever appearance together at the awards show. Kate Middleton wore a stunning and fashionable black floral gown by Alexander McQueen. This was her first appearance at the British film awards show.
BAFTA stands for British Academy of Film and Television Arts and is an independent charity that supports the art of moving pictures through its award ceremony. It is comparable to the American Golden Globes or Oscars. As is the case at such red carpet events, fashion icons like the stylish Duchess of Cambridge are closely critiqued for their choice of dress.
Kate’s gown was instantly appraised by Vanity Fair and other fashion magazines as glamorous and one of “Kate’s Best Looks.” The floor-length gown is both elegant and modern, formal, but not prohibitively so. It is a look that could easily be replicated at a less formal function, something that cannot be said for many red-carpet gowns.
The black gown is dotted with a pattern of white flowers with green foliage and features differing textures due to horizontal ribbons spaced across the body. The pattern is slightly different at the top, where the gown is fitted, whereas the bottom of the gown is loose and free-flowing and the flowers here appear more like bouquets.
The dress is a jacquard fabric, meaning it was made on a loom and has a certain textured look from being woven. The jacquard allows the designer to make relatively complex patterns on the fabric, as seen in Kate’s dress by it having two similar, but different, floral patterns.
The bodice is considerably more fitted and has off-the-shoulder straps. The type of neckline created here is called Bardot. Kate complimented the off-the-shoulder straps and Bardot neckline with dangling earrings and keeping her hair swept in an updo. This ensures her hair will not draw attention away from her Bardot neckline and jewelry.
The pink-toned earrings are eye-catching both in size and sparkliness. These diamond earrings are quite large, so Kate opted not to wear other potentially distracting items like a hair piece or necklace, ensuring the eyes are drawn to the diamond earrings. She wore a silver bracelet on her right hand, ring on her left and carried a small black clutch. Kate appeared to be enjoying herself and shined radiantly at the event.
Although Alexander McQueen passed away in 2010, his aesthetic lives on through his brand. The British designer was an appropriate choice for the British awards, and other celebrities in attendance chose to wear Alexander McQueen as well. Emily Blunt also wore a black and floral Alexander McQueen dress, although she opted for a more intense look than the Duchess of Cambridge’s resolutely feminine look.
Of course, Kate Middleton’s look wouldn’t be complete without her husband, Prince William, at her side. William opted for a simple black tux and bow tie, matching Kate in color and style.
Prince William has served as the President of BAFTA since 2010. He presented the BAFTA Fellowship at the ceremony, which is the Academy’s lifetime achievement award. The recipient this year was Mel Brooks, who in his acceptance speech jokingly apologized for the American Revolution. Although William’s wife Kate has appeared at BAFTA-related events, this is her first appearance at the award show in London.
Sunday’s event, the 70th British Academy Film Awards, was hosted by Stephen Fry for the 12th time in its history. The cast and crew of the American musical La La Land won the most awards. This year’s event was held at the Royal Albert Hall.
[Featured Image by Daniel Leal-Olivas/AP Images]
