Kitty Spencer in her wedding dress by Dolce & Gabbana
Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
It was the society wedding of the summer as Lady Kitty Spencer tied the knot with her South African businessman beau Michael Lewis yesterday at a special ceremony held in secret in Rome. The likes of the Marchioness of Bath, Sabrina Elba, Jade Holland Cooper and Pixie Lott descended on Frascati’s stunning Villa Aldobrandini alongside Lady Kitty’s sisters and former Tatler cover stars Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza to witness the uber-glamorous event in serious Italian style.
As the phrase goes, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’, Lady Kitty Spencer, a global ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana, of course opted for the celebrated Italian design duo to create her breathtaking gown, a decision that was made almost as instantly as she got engaged. ‘Once she had received the proposal, she told us she had thought of us immediately, and we were very happy of that!’ exclaims Domenico Dolce.
Kitty Spencer during her dress fittings
Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
Specifically, Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda division, the Italian’s answer to Haute Couture, were responsible for the impeccably elegant gown, which took around six months to create, with many different seamstresses, painters and artisans collaborating to birth the breathtaking piece. The dress, an intricate floral lace design, features a high neck, long sleeves and puffed shoulders, providing an ostentatiously stylish silhouette. Created between the house’s embroidery factory and their Milan atelier, Spencer had just four fittings to get the dress right, ‘They’ve been beautiful and emotional moments,’ the designers explain which have resulted in ‘a dream made of fabrics.’
The luxury house’s obsession with regal riffs and royal grandeur proved the ideal match for Princess Diana’s niece. Having attended their fashion shows and events for many years on the front row, if not on the catwalk herself, Spencer’s style effortlessly embodies the outré elegance and Baroque brilliance that make up the brand’s DNA. ‘One of the inspirations is definitely her love for Italy. Kitty is in love with our beautiful country and its rich history, art and culture,’ says Domenico Dolce, ‘But she is also a girl who is very attached to her origins, to England; to her heritage of the great Victorian era. And like all the English people, she has a great passion for all kinds of flowers,’ adds Stefano Gabbana.
Kitty Spencer during her dress fittings
Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
Spencer found the perfect way to match her individual style with a more timeless look. ‘For the main dress she wanted to keep a fairly traditional, clean cut, but at the same time she desired to have a timeless allure,’ explains Gabbana, ‘It was all very natural and authentic. Lady Kitty Spencer described to us her dream dress, and we have tried to interpret her wishes; We worked together!’ adds Dolce.
Kitty Spencer during her dress fittings
Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
Opting not to wear the Spencer Tiara, which many royal fans speculated she may borrow to follow in the footsteps of her mother Victoria Lockwood who wore it on her wedding day, Spencer still managed to nod to her ever-chic lineage of societal style icons when working on the design. ‘Lady Kitty Spencer is a girl who is very respectful of her origins, so she certainly started from her Englishness, her memories, her childhood and the traditions of her country. Then, she also let herself be carried away by her passions and her refined and elegant taste. We accompanied her on this journey full of emotions and it was a real honour for us!’ says Gabbana.
Those pining for another Spencer wedding in the not-so-distant future are in luck as Kitty’s younger sister, Lady Amelia, got engaged to her longterm boyfriend, Greg Mallet, last July. Here’s to hoping that Dolce & Gabbana will create another outstanding gown for her too.
