Sarah Burton

Sarah Burton

Known for designing the wedding dress of Catherine Middleton in 2011, Sarah Jane Burton is a fabulous fashion designer from England. She was born in 1974 among four other children to Diana and Anthony. In 2012, Time magazine named her one of the hundred most influential people in the world.

Sarah Burton married a fashion photographer David Burton and the two live in St John’s Wood, North-West London district.

She studied in Withington Girls’ School located in Manchester. Then she did a foundation art course from Manchester Polytechnic and later pursued fashion over learning art. She studied Print Design at London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. By the time she reached the third year of her education, she was interviewed and placed at Alexander McQueen after the suggestion of Simon Ungless, her tutor. Sarah was there for one year when the company was situated in a petite studio positioned at Hoxton Square.

In 1997, she graduated and joined McQueen on a full-time basis as a personal assistant. In 2000, Sarah was appointed as the women’s wear head of division and while on this position, she made dresses for Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama. In 2010, after the of death of Alexander McQueen, Sarah became the creative head. The most recognizable position she attained came mostly from working at McQueen. A time of challenges, pressures, competition and responsibilities waited up ahead.

In 2011, the designer created the beautiful and elegant dress of Middleton for her wedding with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. It was six years ago that Sarah was discovered by Kate at the marriage ceremony of Tom Parker Bowles. Burton had designed a dress for Bowles’s wife and fashion journalist Sara Buys. According to Sarah Burton, creating the wedding gown for such a royalty was the a lifetime experience. In addition to this, she also designed the dress of Pippa Middleton, the sister of and maid of honor in Kate’s wedding.

In regards to awards and honors, Sarah has won the Designer of the Year award in 2011 at the British Fashion Awards. A year later, she was presented with an honorary degree by Manchester Metropolitan University where she once studied. Moreover, she was made Officer of Order of the British Empire in 2012 for her services to the fashion industry in Britain. Furthermore, she was given the Walpole ward for British Luxury Design Talent, Quintessentially Excellence Award, Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year, Glamour Designer of the Year, and Elle’s International Designer of the Year.

Before creating any collection, Sarah and her team discuss the designs and presentation. They think of ideas that give the correct feeling and spirit. This part of the process is fun yet daunting for her. The stylist Camilla Nickerson and Sarah Burton sit together to define the next season’s female and then they all think of colors, prints and fabrics.

Sarah Burton’s designs are a great example of out of the world, magical and innovative creativity. She makes frothy and fantasy filled creations that often surprise viewers. It’s no doubt takes guts to produce and display works in fashion that revolve around concepts than just beauty.  Although Burton was not the trendiest and fashionable girl at her college, she did yearn and thrive to become one who sets the trends. It can be said that she has two sides, one is highly elegant and chic, where as the other is fiercely creative!