A clever collaboration of old and new is occurring at Kensington Palace right now, in the form of Dress Codes, Decoding the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection. More than just stories of days gone by full of gilded pomp, stuffy silk and vintage velvet, this London exhibition is informative, interactive and a visual delight for eyes of all ages.
The exhibition is running until 30th November 2025, so you still have time to diary out your day in ever-so-chic W8. If you are travelling by tube, both Kensington High Street and Queensway are short strolls away and there are many bus routes from Bayswater Road and the High Street to the Palace. The adult ticket price of £24.70, and student price of £20 (and Transport For London currently have a two-for-one offer running to December 2025: Historic Royal Palaces Q&A – Experience London blog (tfl.gov.uk)) includes Dress Codes exhibition, Victoria: A Royal Childhood and The King’s and The Queen’s State Apartments. A peak at Queen Victoria’s Jewel Room is an unexpected treat too. Viewing is thirsty work and there’s a great café inside if you want to break for lunch. It’s open most days including weekends but check online and book a slot; be prepared for a reasonable queue and a bag check before you are free to roam.
The Curator of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection is Matthew Storey who has spent years putting this collection together and works on LGBTQ+ research and interpretation. Here you will see original dress mixed with new, and a particularly striking unisex design stands out, composed of tartan culottes, gold chain belt and cropped black bolero which has a whiff of Beefeater twinned with modern edgy funk. The antique gowns have been lovingly restored; watch Libby Thompson of the Conservation Team on TikTok (Historic Royal Palaces (@historic.royal.palaces) Official | TikTok) to see examples of experts restoring the fabrics and delicately reviving appliqué roses using tissue paper and steam and stitching on heavy golden brocade and repairing torn lace.
For Gen Z, the appeal of Princess Diana is no doubt weighted in favour of her extensive wardrobe rather than her life. Fashion is woven into our history, with hidden meanings and messages and Diana’s was pretty clear when wearing her iconic black, slinky “revenge dress” in 1994 after learning about the then Prince Charles’ adultery. This dress is currently on display at the Museum of Style Icons in County Kildare, Ireland. But you can see Diana’s velvet emerald dress, by Catherine Walker, slinky and sexy, which should delight the most hard-nosed youngster, from edgy fashion student to someone older who simply loves clothes and partying. It’s bold and sassy, yet the tuxedo lapel exudes a level of formality and confidence. Today, Lady Di is a cult hero with memes circulating online, and Facebook groups dedicated to her memory. Some outfits will always wow, and they help to explain a period of time. Diana’s days before her untimely death in 1997 were full of decadence and big shoulder-pads – power dressing with femininity, most notably from the late 80s to the early 90s and resplendent in episodes of Dallas and Dynasty – whilst peppered with trauma and unrequited love. We all enjoy a fairytale and seeing her dresses brings her back to life.
Vibrant swatches are displayed on a wall, showing popular fabrics used and still trendy today. Think Vivienne Westwood’s famous tartan (vivienne westwood tartan • Instagram) or Taylor Swift paying homage to the plaid corset (Getty Images Entertainment | MTV VMAs red carpet (Taylor’s Version) Taylor Swift at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. I September 11, 2024 I 📷️: @kevinmazur for @mtv… | Instagram). If you fancy sketching, there is the opportunity to stick your design on the wall. It’s a fun, interactive moment where you can leave your imprint behind, especially for fashion students but it’s hard to imagine an age group who would not like this, as evident in the eclectic mix of visitors.
Princess Margaret is a tougher proposition to push to a younger audience. The Queen had a wild sister? Her opulent, shot silk gown with embroidered flowers and a cinched-in-waist really draws a breath. The work involved! It’s art in textile form.
“Past is prologue”, I’ve read. Learning history means we can make a fair comparison to today without simply writing it off, allowing us to reasonably critique past behaviors and trends. Perhaps their dress coding was stuffy and over-indulgent. With this in mind, a team of young designers aged between 14 and 17, called The Young Producers worked with Historical Royal Palaces to create their own collection, inspired by traditional pieces. Their designs are reminiscent of bygone days, yet with a contemporary, catwalk vibe.
The partnership with local youth groups is philanthropic and inspired, allowing young creatives to have their talent nurtured and really be seen. It’s refreshing to learn that they worked with professionals from both the fashion and music industries to come up with outfits and tunes to accompany their collection which you can hear and read about as you walk round. This illustrates how the history of royal fashion can be an inspiration to modern styling and ignite creativity in young designers who hope to make their mark in a highly competitive industry.
The blend of ornate, Royal tradition and fresh, innovative design is worth seeing. We can enjoy and appreciate a period of history that may be seen as outmoded and irrelevant but influences contemporary styling now. Admiring either one doesn’t have to be at the exclusion of the other as the Royal sartorial ghosts of the past are enjoying an awakening whilst making way for the cutting-edge creatives of today.
Words by Monique Hershkorn
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