Fashion Fit for a Queen

By Laura Diaz
Queen Isabel I of Castille, more famously known as Isabel The Catholic, is to this day recognized as one of the most powerful female monarchs in history. Her will to command an entire nation and her strong vision are what led to the unification of Spain and what is known as the Golden Age. This important period is not only historically important, but continues to be an inspiration for today's fashion.

The talented Michelle Jenner plays the young Queen in the hit Spanish telenovela Isabel. The costume design of this award-winning series portrays the period's fashion with elegant detail and 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 evokes the luxury, power, and wealth of the monarchs with a touch of regal delicacy. It was common to see outfits adorned in all types of jewels, pearls, and gold, usually embroidered in rich velvets and exotic silks. Although these fashion trends are often not affordable or even practical, its powerful imagery evokes feelings of extreme luxury and pure decadence.

The suggestive nature of period based clothing has led today's best fashion designers to go back to these trends during their fashion shows. A great example are the Valentino cloaks on his Spring 2013 Couture Collection, these capes were actually a favorite of the monarchs of the time. Dresses with embroidery and applications were a must in court. Dolce & Gabbana and Elie Saab have proposed in recent collections very sumptuous fabrics and have worked to get the Royal Trend.

Alexander McQueen, whose Fall 2013 Collection is being called the Royal Catholic Collection, really does an amazing job with these trends. McQueen's vision of glory, his sensitivity to history, and creativity is simply brilliant as it emphasizes the leadership of the female spirit. It is important to notice the exquisite work on the complex embroidery and detailed beading while keeping in mind the futuristic trends that defined his vision.

To remember the amazing Queen Isabel I of Castile, nothing better than to admire the trends set by Dolce & Gabanna, McQueen and others. In case you're interested in following the story of "Isabel" and also admiring her sense for fashion, or if you are just a big fan of telenovelas like I am, I'd recommend you try this one!

All these trends from the runway are making their way into the mainstream which is great news for us! Now there are more affordable options, with a touch of these royal trends for us to buy. Always keep a look out for great accessories as even the simple ones add so much to every look!
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