This gown was made for the High Bailiff, to be worn at the Coronation of HM King Charles III.
We modernised the gowns from their original design - first made for the 600th Anniversary of Westminster Abbey. They were considerably heavy, having been made from a velvet more suited to upholstery. The gowns had also been altered beyond recognition over the years - including a cropping of the gowns to relieve the weight, and a covering of the original braid.
It was therefore decided that the gowns needed to be recreated for both practicality and elegance to be suitable for a Royal debut; a soft redesign was needed. We proposed a design using luxury silk velvet, trimmed with Watts-own silks and braids, in bright reds and blues that would stand out in Westminster Abbey whilst maintaining the original look. We altered the design of the collar to a more military style, which had a more esteemed look compared to the original V-neck.
For the braid, we wanted to return to the original, since covered-up, braid design, which we then wove bespoke in England in colours to complement the main body. This braid was then highlighted with our exclusive Old Gold ‘Diamond & Lay’ braid and small cord. The final touches were then a hand-embroidered badge of the Westminster Abbey crest, as well as additional ribbon on the shoulders of the gown.
