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A Dress for Diana

Title: Bride and Bridesmaids at Buckingham Palace
shortly after the July 29th 1981 Wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and HRH The Prince of Wales
from A Dress for Diana
Authors: David and Elizabeth Emanuel
ISBN: 006121437X
Publisher: Harper Collins Canada
Image Courtesy: Harper Collins Canada

Over a quarter century ago Lady Diana Spencer asked David and Elizabeth Emanuel to do her the honor of designing the dress she would wear when she married HRH the Prince of Wales.

Title: Page from A Dress for Diana, showing Lady Diana Spencer in a Vogue photo shoot wearing an Emanuel designed Blouse
Authors: David and Elizabeth Emanuel
ISBN: 006121437X
Publisher: Harper Collins Canada
Image Courtesy: Harper Collins Canada

Recently the designers collaborated on a book about their early career, meeting Diana and designing that dress. It's the story of undertaking what would be the focus of intense media speculation while needing to remain as secretive as possible until the moment when Diana first emerged from Clarence House stepping into the glass carriage that took her to her prince. It's not about anecdotes but we do learn that Diana was warm, spontaneous and fun. It's about the project involved in first designing then finding the necessary materials, preferably English manufactured, and creating the dress.

Title: Page from A Dress for Diana, with photographs of David and Elizabeth Emanuel and Lady Diana Spencer
Authors: David and Elizabeth Emanuel
ISBN: 006121437X
Publisher: Harper Collins Canada
Image Courtesy: Harper Collins Canada

They had limited time and material, of the specific silk spun for the dress, and once cut errors were not an option. Then the beading began. The team the Emanuels assembled are a primary focus of the story as they should be. Creating what would become the most famous wedding dress of the 20th Century took an incredible amount of inspiration while the young design couple and the nineteen-year old girl were under intense glare.