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High Bailiff Gown

High Bailiff Gown

This gown was made for the High Bailiff, to be worn at the Coronation of HM King Charles III. 

We modernised the gowns from their original design - first made for the 600th Anniversary of Westminster Abbey. They were considerably heavy, having been made from a velvet more suited to upholstery. The gowns had also been altered beyond recognition over the years - including a cropping of the gowns to relieve the weight, and a covering of the original braid. 

It was therefore decided that the gowns needed to be recreated for both practicality and elegance to be suitable for a Royal debut; a soft redesign was needed. We proposed a design using luxury silk velvet, trimmed with Watts-own silks and braids, in bright reds and blues that would stand out in Westminster Abbey whilst maintaining the original look. We altered the design of the collar to a more military style, which had a more esteemed look compared to the original V-neck.

For the braid, we wanted to return to the original, since covered-up, braid design, which we then wove bespoke in England in colours to complement the main body. This braid was then highlighted with our exclusive Old Gold ‘Diamond & Lay’ braid and small cord. The final touches were then a hand-embroidered badge of the Westminster Abbey crest, as well as additional ribbon on the shoulders of the gown.


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