Ic o n I c We d d I n g dr e s s e sThroughout the history of the House of Hare

James Hare – Celebrating 150 Years of Fine FabricsFor 150 years, the Hare family has specialised in the manufacture, design and distribution of the finest luxurious fabrics for the fashion and interior markets. From curtains and soft furnishings to bridal and catwalk materials and now even silk wall coverings, James Hare’s business has progressed over the generations but its ethos of bringing you only the best in British design and quality has not altered.

To celebrate this anniversary we have been looking back at some of the most iconic wedding gowns throughout the history of James Hare and have created a collection that brings these memorable designs back to the forefront of fashion.

These iconic outfits give us a glimpse of the past, of bridal fashions and trends, both timeless and ‘of their time’. Looking back at wedding gowns that have started a new tradition or caused controversy, we find that although they differ in style, some things remain a constant throughout the decades. All brides want their day to be special, their gown to fulfil each individuals idea of a perfect wedding, be it fairytale or somewhat shocking. The James Hare bridal collection is flattering to every stylish bride looking to amaze on her big day and push the barriers on traditional bridal wear.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, 1840Although Queen Victoria was married before James Hare was established we felt that her dress had to be included as it was probably the first bridal gown to spark a new fashion ‘trend’. When the Queen chose white for her marriage to Albert on the 10th February 1840, she initiated a tradition that many western cultures know today.

Queen Victoria’s gown was designed by Scottish artist William Dyce and made by her personal dressmaker Mary Bettans. Victoria chose English fabrics for her gown, including Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace.

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Duchesse Satin Light Ivory 31255/23

Guipure Lace Light Ivory 8280/01

French Tulle Veiling Ivory 8223/01

Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, 1920Known as ‘America’s Sweetheart’, Mary Pickford was the first true movie star. Mary and Douglas Fairbanks were Hollywood royalty and married in an intimate ceremony dubbed as ‘The Wedding of the Century’ just three and a half weeks after Pickford’s divorce from her first husband. The wedding itself was a very private affair and took place at the home of a Baptist minister in Los Angeles, California.

Mary wore a romantic, gauzy white dress with an apple green trim. Worn with a dainty floral crown, this light gown is evocative of a more innocent time. A couple of months earlier the dress had been featured in Vogue, modelled by Natica Nast, Condé Nast’s 15 year old daughter. She was frequently photographed modelling wedding gowns for the magazine, as it was argued that no professional model looked innocent enough to create the right effect. Designed by couturier Tappé who complained about having to make the gown small enough to fit Natica, saying he would not be able to sell it afterward not knowing that it would soon adorn the dainty figure of Mary Pickford both on her wedding day and in a radiantly lit Vogue portrait by de Meyer.

Non Curl Duchesse Satin White 31255/02

Crepe Backed Satin Lime 8133/19

Net Tulle White 8091/02

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King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, 1937Wallis Simpson, the divorced American bride, who married King Edward VIII, chose a sublimely understated yet elegant outfit for her royal wedding.

Known for her sense of style she opted for a suit with an almost demure high neckline with a petal shaped collar and long sleeves. Designed by the American, Mainbocher, the iconically simple, sleek column of the crepe silk dress and corseted jacket with rows of covered buttons fastened with small rouleau loops emphasised Wallis’ slender form. The dress itself was austerely simple, with a neckline that mirrored the high collar of the jacket.

Wallis chose a soft blue colour over the traditional white or ivory, known as ‘Wallis Blue’ as it was said to match her eyes. Her hat was made by French milliner Caroline Reboux and echoes the shape of a tiara, although created with a stiffened gauze and decorated with pink and blue feathers – a reminder that Wallis was a royal bride, albeit an unconventional one.

Super Weight Satin Backed Crepe Silver/Blue 8163/16

Habotai Icicle 8134/54

Organza Icicle 8152/23

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Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, 1947With the nation still suffering the effects of the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth’s wedding was a fresh beacon of hope for the country and designer Norman Hartnell bore this in mind when creating her gown.

The dress was inspired by Botticelli’s painting La Primavera. The ivory duchesse satin and tulle gown was bedecked with shimmering floral garlands and flowing sprays of corn, adding to the detail of around 10,000 white seed pearls imported from America, along with sparkling crystals and glistening silver threads.

The body of the gown featured square shoulders, a sweetheart neckline, narrow long sleeves and a low pointed V waist that flowed into a full length skirt. The bridal ensemble included a 15 foot full court train attached at the shoulders and a silk tulle veil held in place by a tiara belonging to her mother.

Duchesse Satin Ivory 31255/01

Organza Ivory 8152/01

Embroidered and Beaded Tulle 8282/01

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Beaded Lace 8279/01

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco, 1956The marriage of the American film star, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco in April 1956 was a true fairytale wedding.

The bridal gown designed for Grace by Helen Rose of MGM’s costume department, was made with a fitted lace bodice and bell-shaped satin skirt, fused together with a pleated taffeta cummerbund at the waist, emphasising her fashionable hourglass figure. The fabrics used ranged from silk tulle, pearl-encrusted rose point lace, delicate Valenciennes lace and dull lustre of peau de soie satin. Grace’s dress was more complex than it looked – underneath the sheer lace bodice was another strapless one made of silk crepe, while three layers of integrated petticoats gave the skirt its distinctive volume.

Matt Duchesse Satin Ivory 31410/01

Net Tulle Ivory 8091/01

Leavers Lace Ivory 8253/01

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Beaded Lace 8279/01

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones, 1960Princess Margaret’s choice of dress for her marriage to Anthony Armstrong Jones, like the Queen before her, was designed by Norman Hartnell. Margaret walked down the aisle in the polar opposite of her sister’s traditional dress, sweeping in a whole new decade of sleek royal style in her wake. Made from white silk organza, the dress had 30 yards of fabric in the skirt alone.

This stylish dress was complemented with a simple satin-bound silk tulle veil, held in place with a diamond tiara. This chic creation is typical 60’s fashion, but its clean lines give it a classic, timeless, quality.

Non Curl Duchesse Satin White 31255/02

French Tulle Veiling White 8223/02

Organza White 8152/02

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Bianca Pérez-Mora Macias and Mick Jagger, 1971For her St Tropez marriage to Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger, Bianca opted for a stylish yet unconventional wedding outfit by her favourite designer, Yves Saint Laurent.

Bianca teamed her plain maxi skirt with ‘Le Smoking’, the female version of a chic tuxedo style jacket featuring wide lapels, pockets and a single button fastening. She also wore a large, white, wide brimmed hat with a sheer silk tulle veil. At the time of her wedding, Bianca was four months pregnant and the shirt she intended to wear under her jacket no longer fitted. Instead, the daring bride wore nothing underneath, exposing a deep expanse of cleavage. Nevertheless, this looked undoubtedly chic and remains a constant in the lists one of the most iconic wedding outfits.

Super Weight Crepe White 8147/02

Habotai White 8134/02

Net Tulle White 8091/02

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Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, 19711960’s songstress and actress, Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg are known as one of music’s most notorious couples of the 1970’s, scandalising society with a love affair that was unique and captivating and decades later still has us fascinated.

They made an iconic couple. Photos of Jane wearing ‘that’ crocheted dress, although very endemic of its time, still prove to be shockingly stylish today. Jane wore the sheer knit dress with minimum underwear thus drawing attention to the deep V neckline, held together with a brooch.

For the bride brave enough to forge her own path, trading glamour for understated hippie style, you can’t go wrong by taking inspiration from the wedding of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg.

Daisy Guipure Lace Ivory 8281/01

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Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, 1973Princess Anne’s medieval inspired gown was designed by Maureen Baker of Susan Small. The high collar and long sleeves of the gown were appropriate both for the required modesty of a royal wedding gown and for the chilly November weather. This elegant gown made the most of Princess Anne’s slim figure; the pin-tucked bodice hugging her tiny waist closely.

The dramatic trumpet sleeves are by far the most memorable part of the gown. They were edged in pearls and draped over pleated chiffon bishop sleeves to create their shape. In comparison to other royal wedding gowns this one also stands out for its shorter train. The pure silk flowed beautifully without being weighted down. Though simple in appearance, the gown did have some significant ornamentation. The neck and top featured rows of pearls and the back and train of the gown featured orange blossom embroidery in pearls and silver thread.

Super Weight Crepe Backed Satin White 8163/02

Satin Chiffon White 8191/02

Net Tulle White 8091/02

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Embroidered and Beaded Tulle 8282/01

Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles, 1981Lady Diana Spencer’s fairy tale gown set the standard for future wedding dresses and inspired a generation of brides.

Princess Diana incorporated all the details of an iconic royal gown, including frills, flounces and bows, sumptuous fabrics, jewels, embroidered lace, crinolines and corsetry and a never-ending train in the dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.

The enormous skirt of the ivory silk gown was supported by layers of petticoats and embellished with 10,000 pearls. The ruffled collar and sleeves embellished with delicate ribbons drawing attention to the fitted bodice and the 25 foot silk taffeta train was trimmed with lace. This dress is considered to be one of the most famous celebrity wedding dresses of all time, if not necessarily the most stylish. The dress is prevalent of its time − the style becoming known as ‘meringue’ was just one step in the path that made her one of the leading fashion icons of her day.

Imperial Silk Ivory 31252/01

Soft Tulle Ivory 8091/01

Cord Embroidered Tulle Ivory 8239/01

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Paula Yates and Bob Geldof, 1986One of the biggest and most memorable weddings of the 80’s was that of Bob Geldof and his rock chick girlfriend Paula Yates who were married in Las Vegas in 1986. The wedding was wild, full of excess, rock celebrities and very en vogue!

Paula’s dramatic gown was designed by friend Jasper Conran, and caused much controversy.

She was an exquisite bride choosing to wear a bright red satin ballgown-style wedding dress with a lace bodice, teamed with a headdress of red Grand Prix roses and trailing ivy holding in place a veil comprising of yards of soft red tulle. The dress was designed with an opulent satin train and to complete the look the platinum haired bride matched her red lips to her amazing dress and flaunted her tattoos – quite shocking at the time.

Duchesse Satin Rose Red 31255/16

French Tulle Veiling Rose Red 8223/05

Leavers Lace Red 8254/04

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Catherine Middleton and Prince William, 2011Sarah Burton’s contemporary wedding dress for Catherine Middleton reflected a new generation of the British monarchy. The slim-fitting dress showed off Catherine’s slender frame, with a strapless corset overlaid with a lace bodice.

The nipped-in waist and padded hips recalled Victorian corsetry, while the detail on the lace incorporated the four emblems of the UK – the rose, daffodil, thistle and shamrock.

The dress featured a high neck which plunged into a deep V-shaped décolletage and drew attention to the sweetheart neckline. Six types of lace were used to create the overlay of the skirt.

Satin Gazar Ivory 31424/01

Soft Tulle Ivory 8091/01

Chantilly Lace Ivory 8241/01

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French Lace Ivory 8206/01

Amal Almuddin and George Clooney, 2014One of the most talked about weddings in recent years is that of Hollywood actor George Clooney and barrister, Amal Almuddin.

For the wedding ceremony the bride chose an Oscar de la Renta dress in French lace, however, for the civil service the bride channelled Bianca Jagger at her wedding to Mick in 1971.

Amal wore a sleek cream Stella McCartney trouser suit. This matching trouser and blouse two-piece oozed chic glamour and a touch of regalness summing up Amal’s timeless style and sophistication. The fresh cream trousers were cut in the classic wide leg silhouette, the crepe hanging beautifully and the satin trims giving a streamlining effect. The simple boxy blouse, trimmed with black was balanced to perfection by a wide brimmed hat.

Super Weight Crepe Ivory 8147/01

Crepe Backed Satin Cream 8133/26

Super Weight Crepe Black 8147/18

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