Guest Post: Royal Runways of Today

Queen Isabel the Catholic, formally known as Isabel I of Castille, is considered to be one of the most powerful female leaders in history. Through her vision, strength and determination, Isabel was able to unify the Spanish kingdom which became a dominant world power. Among many other achievements in her reign, one of the most recognizable is the exploration of the Americas. This important era, known as the Golden Age, is not only historically significant, but continues to be an inspiration for today's fashion.

The gorgeous Spanish actress Michelle Jenner plays young Queen Isabel in the hit series Isabel. The costume design of this award-winning telenovela portrays the period's fashion with elegant detail and accuracy. This display of period clothing shows how these trends have inspired many of today's top fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Dolce & Gabanna.

Royal fashion of the time exemplifies the luxury, power, and wealth of the monarchs while always keeping a touch of regal delicacy. Most outfits were adorned in all types of riches like jewels, pearls, and gold, usually embroidered in exotic velvets and rich silks. Although these fashion trends are often not affordable or even practical, they continue to evoke memories of extreme luxury and pure decadence.

The evocative nature of period based clothing has led today's top fashion designers to revisit these trends on the runway. A great example are the Valentino cloaks on his Spring 2013 Couture Collection. Dresses with embroidery and applications were a must in court and are making their comeback today. In many of their recent collections, Dolce & Gabbana and Elie Saab have worked to be part of the Royal Trend.

Alexander McQueen is a great example of a designer who has worked this trend of the past while keeping his futuristic vision and style. His 2013 Fall Collection is being dubbed by some as the Royal Catholic Collection. McQueen's vision of glory, his sensitivity to history, and imagination is nothing short from brilliance as it emphasizes the leadership of the feminine spirit. It is important to notice the exquisite work on the complex embroidery and detailed beading.

To remember the inspirational Queen Isabel I of Castile and other powerful female leaders, it is important to recognize them for the trendsetters they were and admire the collections by Dolce & Gabanna, McQueen and others. In case you're also interested in following this great series that keeps an eye for fashion, or if you are a big fan of telenovelas like I am, I'd recommend you try this one!

Let me know what you think of my post in the comments below and please follow Trend-ish!!  -Laura


Special Thanks to Laura Díaz for this interesting article!
xx
Teresa