In Wedding dress of Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, how is the Background discussed?
In 1891, the bride's mother, the Duchess of Teck, had declared that her daughter's wedding dress and those of her bridesmaids would be manufactured entirely in Britain. This was likely because the Duchess was president of the Ladies' National Silk Association. Upon the announcement of the engagement of Princess May (as she was usually known) to Prince George, Duke of York in the spring of 1893, Arthur Silver (of the Silver Studio), was approached to design the gown. Silver had designed the dress for Princess May's intended wedding to George's older brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, in 1892. This 'Lily of the Valley' creation had been made public just days before the Duke of Clarence's untimely death in January 1892 but had to be completely abandoned. The design chosen for the York-Teck wedding was 'The May Silks'; the dress would feature embroidery of the emblems of a rose, shamrock and thistle, and be trimmed with the traditional orange blossom and true lovers knots. Silver, renowned for his Art Nouveau designs, was also said to be much influenced by Japanese art in his design. In March 1893, the Duchess and Princess visited the Warner & Sons' factory at Hollybush Gardens in Spitalfields, London and commissioned them to make the finest white silk with silver thread by Albert Parchment in time for the July wedding.
Prince George, Duke of York thistle wedding Duchess of Teck shamrock Spitalfields rose Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale London Silver Studio