Royal wedding dress created in New Zealand overnight

While an estimated two billion people around the world relaxed in front of the telly and tuned in to the Royal Wedding, a bevy of New Zealand seamstresses was having a less regal night.

Celebrated bridal wear designer Jane Yeh and her team of seamstresses were working tirelessly through the night to re-create Her Royal Highness Catherine Middleton’s wedding gown.

The replica was revealed to media and a bustling crowd of 500 at Farmers St Lukes in Auckland only hours after the regal nuptials.

Jane Yeh said the experience was “simply unique”.

“Literally, we have never done anything like this before and I’m not sure anyone in New Zealand has attempted to make a royal wedding dress overnight either.

“It was a long and stressful night but we got there in the end. We had our team working hard to produce a replica dress that is as close as possible to the real thing – without having the actual pattern,” she says.

The stunning result was modelled by a Kate Middleton look-a-like at a right-royal occasion in-store, with MC Kerre Woodham hosting proceedings in a ‘Mother of the Bride’ outfit from Farmers.

Farmers CEO Rod McDermott says the company could not have wished for a better looking replica dress.

“We are thrilled with how the dress has turned out and delighted New Zealanders can get their own slice of the royal action when the dress sets off tomorrow on a whirlwind tour of 18 Farmers stores throughout the nation.”

Crowds also heard from L’Oréal Paris make-up director Lisa Matson on how to achieve Kate’s bridal beauty look and New Zealand Woman’s Weekly editor Sarah Stuart who has worked with Farmers to make the Royal Wedding Dress project a reality.

For more the royal tour key dates, visit the Farmers Facebook page www.facebook.com/FarmersYourStore or @royaltournz on twitter for updates.