“Fashioning a Reign, 90 Years of Style from the Queen’s Wardrobe”

Date Added 27/07/2016

To celebrate the 90^th Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham palace is staging a special exhibition charting significant events throughout the queen’s life and history. “Fashioning A Reign" Showcases over 150 outfits and their significance.

On Friday 22^nd July, Amy and Amelia were invited to the Summer Opening Preview Day for an exclusive first look at the exhibition and State rooms. Read Amelia’s report to discover more….

"From perfectly manicured gardens, to resplendent ceilings, our tour of Buckingham Palace lead us into a historical timeline through the medium of fashion.  Arriving at the palace, we entered through the Grand Entrance, usually reserved for foreign dignitaries, and made our way up the Grand Staircase, where guests formally invited to the palace enter the State Rooms. After marvelling at the splendour of the staircase, we arrived at the Ball Room to the “Fashioning a Reign, 90 years of Style from the Queen’s Wardrobe” exhibition.

Over the past 90 years, the clothing choices of Queen Elizabeth II have spoken volumes without words. The intricately considered design choice perfectly represent each individual purpose, with symbolic messages of unity and respect imbued through every fibre.

This impressive and immersive new exhibition “Fashioning a Reign” takes you on a sartorial autobiography celebrating Her Majesty’s life and reign. From childhood christening gown, to the present day, the exhibition weaves a rich tapestry of historical events, as well as an insight into the opulence and physical burden of royalty. The collection also portrays a steadfast support of British designers, and shows Her Majesty’s unwavering interest in fashion.

Notable items that are not to be missed within the exhibition are: Christian Dior’s 1940’s ‘New Look’ Evening Gown; the exquisite Coronation dress portraying the emblems of Dominions of which she is Queen; her majesty’s Wedding dress, bought in 1947 with coupons, as rationing was still inforce; and the dress in which she stared in her cameo appearance with 007.

Millinery also features heavily throughout the exhibition. Ranging from classical elegance to avant-garde creations, the collection showcases exquisite work to enhance and complement the correlating outfit.

After reaching the end of the collection, we toured the palace and opulent State rooms. The palace itself exudes luxury and intrigue; intricately carved wall panels give way to reveal hidden rooms and passageways, and subtle symbols are hidden throughout the décor. Every inch of the 19 rooms is magnificently embellished including high ornate ceilings intricately decorated to suit the ambiance. A clear example of this is the majestic Throne Room. The backdrop for many Royal Wedding photographs, the room is lavishly decorated and a clear favourite with visitors.

The exhibit and palace itself provide so much to see that even those who have visited before, will discover something new and enticing to explore. After our tour we visited the wonderful gift shop and tearoom and enjoyed a beautiful, scenic stroll through the gardens.

Overall a ‘royally’ great trip!"

Due to popular demand, we have a NEW DATE ADDED: Wednesday 14th September 2016. To book and experience this exclusive exhibition for yourself please click here.