Victoria Beckham and Sarah Burton are among the British designers who have honoured the Queen ahead of her Jubilee by crafting colourful gowns inspired by monarch’s wardrobe for the first ever fashion shoot at The Tower Of London.
To mark the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee, Harper’s Bazaar UK has revealed a unique digital cover featuring the model Kukua Williams, 25, wearing a host of designs inspired by royal style.
On the cover, the model, who is known for raising the issue of racism in the fashion industry, can be seen posing in a vibrant latex design by Richard Quinn.
Speaking to the magazine, the designer explained his inspiration behind the look, saying: ‘The Queen once wore an amazing matching hat and coat in acid green, with patent black shoes; to me, that’s daring and subversive.
‘So, I wanted this Tudor mini-dress at the Tower of London. It’s a play on the royal look – crystals, silk duchesse satin, a little crinoline… and then a bit of latex.’
Victoria Beckham and Sarah Burton are among the British designers who have honoured the Queen ahead of her Jubilee by crafting colourful gowns inspired by monarch’s wardrobe for the first ever fashion shoot at The Tower Of London (pictured, Burton’s design)
The black structured body features large off the shoulder sleeves with a silk crystal inset, giving way to a crinoline yellow floral patterned mini skirt, paired with matching tights and long black gloves.
Other designers featured in the shoot included Victoria and royal wedding dress designer Sarah Burton.
Victoria’s gown was a sleek regal affair – an all purple slim fitting, long sleeve, neck dress.
The designer said: ‘For this historic shoot, we wanted to honour Her Majesty with a traditionally regal colour, so I reimagined an A/W 22 runway look in a rich purple shade.
Victoria Beckham designed a purple dress with a ‘truly refined aesthetic’ which she said was ‘fit for a Queen’
‘A sequined dress forms the base of the outfit, sitting underneath a delicate, fine knit that is wrapped around the body, distorting the shine of the sequins to give a truly refined aesthetic, fit for a Queen.’
Meanwhile Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen created a flamboyant striking frock in ruby red with skirt full of ruffles, puff sleeves and a thick black belt pinching in the middle.
Sarah said: ‘The red rose is quintessentially feminine and timelessly beautiful – a symbol of romance, passion and love.
‘It is also resilient and strong; there is a power and a dignity to this queen of flowers.’
Black British model Kukua Williams, 25 (pictured) has been revealed as the face of Harper’s Bazaar unique digital cover. Wearing a Richard Quinn design inspired by royal style
Meanwhile Philip Treacy, Andreas Kronthaler, and Bora Aksu, were also selected by the magazine for the photoshoot.
Milliner Treacy commented: ‘The Queen has done more for the hat than anyone else, and has kept it alive in the imagination of people all over the world.
‘It was irresistible to have this 17th-century sailing-ship hat photographed at the Tower of London, given the epic backdrop near the river.’
And Bora Aksu summed up the shoot poetically, saying: ‘I am an incurable romantic, and my aim is to seek and define beauty on my own terms.
‘It’s about mixing traditional elements with newer ones – the perfect design language for the Queen, who has always shown timelessness and regal elegance.’
It comes as the Queen announced she will use her Platinum Jubilee to emphasise national unity, sending members of her family to all four corners of the realm
Highlights of the royal-themed edition include an interview with the organiser of the Jubilee Pageant, perspectives on our monarch from notable figures including Helen Mirren and Clare Balding, and an exploration of our monarch’s beauty regime.
It comes as the Queen announced she will use her Platinum Jubilee to emphasise national unity, sending members of her family to all four corners of the realm.
The monarch has agreed for senior members of the Royal Family to visit the nations of the United Kingdom over the extended bank holiday weekend in June.
They will be led by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who will visit Wales. Meanwhile the Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Northern Ireland, while Princess Anne will go to Scotland given her particularly affinity with the country.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will remain in London with the Queen.
There will, of course, be no roles for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York, both of whom have now stepped down a working royals.
- The June issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale now
