Ball Gowns

Sonnet's Ball Gowns green-lighted for May 19, 2012, at the V and A and will be the first exhibition in the refurbished fashion gallery (image from the museum).

The expo to host 60 ball gowns from 1950 by designers like Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen (his S/S 2011, pictured). A special shout goes to Gareth Pugh's metallic leather dress designed for the exhibition. Will he wear it, I wonder?

And, since this is England, Sonnet includes some Royalty like the Norman Hartnell designed for Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Diana’s ‘Elvis Dress’ by Catherine Walker. Our informal Brit royalty on display, too: Daphne Guinness, Elizabeth Hurley and Bianca Jagger, Hardy Amies, Ossie Clark, Bill Gibb, Belleville Sassoon, Murray Arbeid, Bruce Oldfield and Julien MacDonald. The show's aim, as everything at the museum leading up to the London Olympics, to showcase British talent.

"Clothes and jewellery should be startling, individual. When you see a woman in my clothes, you want to know more about them. To me, that is what distinguishes good designers from bad designers."
--Alexander McQueen