When Pippa Middleton wore a deep green silk dress from Alice Temperley to the evening reception of her sister s wedding, the brand became a household name, and now that the designer has our attention, she s planning on keeping it. That message came through loud and clear at her pre-fall presentation today: "It s less of a bohemian look, more dreamlike and ethereal," said Temperley, citing Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the 19th-century aesthetic movement as inspirations. "There is more of an opulence, a femininity, and a flow to the collection."
Opulence came in the form of a gold brocade silk maxi dress teamed with a whiskey-colored silk mac, and a chunky wrap cardigan with leather plait collar details worn with a fuchsia and black hammered silk dress. A structured gown with diamanté detailing snaking down the bodice was downright regal. "Ms. Middleton walked into the shop and wanted a dress like any other customer," said Temperley. "I was flattered, excited to be chosen. And then of course, with the whole wedding fever, I felt very proud to be British."
The Britishness carried on with a look that evoked the Duchess of Windsor: a silk blouse with a wrap shawl collar paired with an elegant maxi skirt, complete with a cinched waist and long leather gloves. But the collection wasn t as stately as all that: A well-cut pair of leather trousers provided a youthful, casual antidote to some very grown-up embellished tunics, while sequins strewn all over an otherwise demure gold dress reminded us why Temperley was named Designer of the Year at the 2011 Hollywood Style Awards. See? It s not just the royals that like her.
