My least favorite gowns:
- 1988: Joergen Bender at his worst, a strange unfinished-looking top that can’t balance the tulip-kind cut of the very stiff skirt. Strange combination of fuchsia pink with the sapphires as well.
- 1990: Almost a Victorian costume, but excused because this must have been a kind of emergency dress, due to the death of the Queen’s father shortly before.
- 1997: Nina Ricci at her worst, a Flamenco-inspired mistake with too many frilly details and a print which nobody would be able to pull off – the print is wearing her instead of the other way around.
- 2006: Yuki at his worst, unfortunately. If the gown had come in a different color than white, which just leads to an unfortunate ‘angel wings’ association, it still could have worked.
My favorite gowns:
- 1986: Joergen Bender and 80’s fashions at their best, elaborate but not overdone, more a mid-19th century crinoline dress, a gown made to be worn with the wonderful amethyst jewels
- 1993: Nina Ricci Haute Couture at its best, a risky black and white combination of the bold and the romantic, which Queen Silvia was perfectly able to pull off. Wonderful skirt with its cut falling into a billowing train at the back.
- 1995: Almost over-the-top but totally romantic, Nina Ricci obviously used the best of silk taffetas and that shows - a great updated 1950s look.
- 1999: Wonderful 40s-inspired Jacques Zehnder gown with one of the most elaborately tailored skirts I have ever seen, a most difficult cut with the heavy brocade falling into a train of several layers on top of each other in the back.
- 2001: Nina Ricci and Silvia go ‘Swan Lake’, it’s meant to produce a fairy tale image of a Queen, and the luxurious tulle layers of the skirt have a wonderful floating effect.
- 2007: Yuki at his best, a radical departure from the classic with Queen Silvia going into avant-garde haute couture. Results in a unique look in-between medieval and Japanese – difficult to pull off, but very successful.
- 2008: Jacques Zehnder at his best, the total opposite of the style the year before and just as successful, a very regal look with the gown’s exquisite embroidery, perfectly complemented by the choice of jewelry and also the opera gloves.
