KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Theresa Blake and C. M. Rubin
KATE MIDDLETON’S DRESS TO BE REVEALED TOMORROW
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress by Theresa Blake was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will once again be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of Princess Diana’s eldest son, His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C. M. Rubin and designer Theresa Blake joined forces to bring you a series of stories on CMRubinWorld focusing on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of those historic royal gowns or all of them have already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
To conclude their series, Kate Middleton - To Dress A Princess, Blake and Rubin will reveal tomorrow the dress they believe Kate (Catherine) Middleton should wear on her wedding day.
Kate (Catherine) Middleton
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Kate (Catherine) Middleton
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 to Reginald Hargreaves in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in the bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland, by C. M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin.
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will once again be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, Rubin and Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories from CMRubinWorld entitled “KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS.” The stories, which began on Wednesday, February 16, focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
Theresa Blake trained at Wimbledon School of Art in period costume design. After helping to design magnificent gowns for major bridal and couture houses in the UK, she formed her own company, Rossetti Couture. Today, Rossetti Couture designs period wedding gowns inspired by historical princesses and theatrical costumes for individuals and prestigious entertainment companies around the world.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin designs many of her own clothes and is also the author of three best-selling, award winning books, including The Real Alice In Wonderland.
Theresa Blake and C. M. Rubin
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C. M.(Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
PRINCESS ELISABETH OF BAVARIA - 19th Century by C. M. Rubin and Theresa BlakePrincess Elisabeth of Bavaria (1837 – 1898), Empress of Austria and Queen Consort of Hungary, has inspired filmmakers and theater producers for decades. Her husband and first cousin, Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, selected Elisabeth to be his queen when she was only 15 years old. Elisabeth bore the Emperor four children (Archduchess Sophie, Archduchess Gisela, Crown Prince Rudolf, Archduchess Marie Valerie). The Princess was known for her beauty, her passion for fashion, her 20 inch waist (she followed a strict diet and exercise regimen), and her reputed love affairs. During the course of her life, she faced many tragedies including the death of her oldest child, Sophie, and her only son, Rudolf. The scandal surrounding her son’s suggested murder-suicide with his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera (the scandal was known as the Mayerling Incident), increased public interest in Elisabeth. She spent little time in Austria during the later years of her life when travel to countries all over the world consumed her interest. On September 10, 1898, she was assassinated in Geneva, Switzerland by a young mentally ill anarchist named Luigi Lucheni.
The beautiful wedding gown below, of ivory lace satin and tulle, was inspired by a painting of Elisabeth. It is a reproduction of a classic Victorian court dress - a triple layered lace skirt, scattered with mother of pearl sequins, worn over many petticoats and a crinoline hoop. The velvet train is edged with appliqued details in gold, a theatrical interpretation of the original intricate gold lace. The corseted bodice is encrusted with intricate beaded patterns in crystals, sequins, pearls, and facetted stones, and has layered pearl-edged ribbons at the shoulder.
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Queen Consort Marie Antoinette
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. (Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
QUEEN CONSORT MARIE ANTOINETTE - 18th Century Queens by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) was born in Austria to Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, and his Austrian Empress, Maria Theresa. She has been called France’s unhappiest queen. She was married off by her mother at age 14 to Louis XVI with the hope that this union might further Austria’s interest in France. Young Marie was poorly educated and unprepared for the dynastic political intrigues that followed. Prudish by nature, she became thoroughly embarrassed by her husband’s widely known failure to have sexual intercourse for several years. Despite this setback, Marie Antoinette still managed to give birth to a daughter, in 1778, and sons in 1781 and 1785. She was a devoted mother. She was also perceived as frivolous and extravagant, with a habit of spending lavishly on fashionable clothes and palaces. After the Bastille was stormed on July 14, 1789, the queen urged her husband to resist the rebels’ reforms, making her very unpopular and leading to the attribution to her of the remark, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!” — “Let them eat cake!” The royal couple were forced to move to Paris. After the First French Republic was established in 1792, they were imprisoned by the revolutionaries. Marie Antoinette continued to plot for foreign intervention to end the revolution and free her family. Many attempts to escape failed. Ultimately, Louis XVI was executed in January, 1793. Marie Antoinette is remembered for her dignity and great courage while the Revolution subjected her to horrific brutalities before she was finally executed by the guillotine on October 16 of 1793. Theresa Blake’s stunning eighteenth century style wedding dress below is inspired by Marie Antoinette. It is in cloud pink regal dupion and consistes of a corseted jacket/bodice with a separate skirt worn over pannier supports. The shell pink corseted bodice is ornamented with an eye-catching embroidered and beaded stomacher panel, and finishes in a shaped and pleated peplum, embroidered and edged in antique lace. The bodice is laced at the back to achieve a corset-like finish. It has fitted elbow-length sleeves ending in large, romantic cuffs with lace sleeve flounces. The skirt has an open front to show off the beautiful scrolling floral embroidery and draped panniers, again edged in lace. C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland. 
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Mary Henrietta Stuart, Princess Royal
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. (Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
MARY HENRIETTA STUART - PRINCESS ROYAL - 17TH CENTURY By C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
Mary Henrietta Stuart, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange, and Countess of Nassau was born at St. James’s Palace, London in 1631. She was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland, and Queen Henrietta Maria of France. Mary’s father designated her Princess Royal (making her the first daughter of a British Sovereign to hold that title).
King Charles wished her to marry the son of Philip IV, King of Spain. However, Mary’s German first cousin, Karl Ludwig, the Elector Palatine, was also a suitor for her hand. Both proposals fell through and Mary was finally betrothed to Willem (William II), the Dutch son and heir of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. The marriage took place on May 2, 1641 at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall Palace, London. The marriage was not consummated for several years, understandably, since the bride was only nine years old when she was married. The couple’s only child, Willem, later became King William III of England, Ireland and Scotland. Mary died in 1660 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Theresa Blake’s restoration period wedding dress, inspired by Princess Royal Mary Henrietta Stuart, is made in a beautiful blue and gold silk brocade with matching plain blue silk overskirt and adornments of silk taffeta ribbon. This was very popular in the seventeenth century. An element of artistic license was used with the representative of shift sleeves (the undersleeve part). Theresa has used silk rather than lawn or linen. This seems very appropriate for a wedding or royal court gown. The slashed sleeves have piped edgings and blue-gold looped ribbon decoration.
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Queen Anne Boleyn of England
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. (Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN - 16TH CENTURY QUEENS by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
Lady Anne Boleyn became one of the most famous queens in English history, though she ruled for just three years. The daughter of an ambitious knight and niece of the powerful duke of Norfolk, Lady Anne spent her teenage years at the elegant French court. When she returned to England, her wit and French style were her greatest charms. She had a circle of male admirers and soon became secretly engaged to Henry Percy, the son of the wealthy Earl of Northumberland.
Lady Anne then entered the service of Queen Katherine of Aragon, wife of King Henry VIII of England. It wasn’t long before Anne caught the eye of King Henry. Jealous of Anne’s many admirers, Henry ordered her fiance, Henry Percy, from court. He then tried to make Anne his mistress. Anne boldly turned the King down. She had witnessed her sister Mary become the king’s mistress and gain little from it but scandal. However, Anne knew that her hopes to marry Henry Percy were futile. Pursued by King Henry, she insisted the King marry her before she would bed him.
Obsessed with Anne, it took King Henry nearly seven years to obtain an annulment. In addition, his divorce involved an irrevocable breach with the Catholic Church in Rome. Finally, King Henry and Queen Anne wed on May 28, 1533. Queen Anne’s coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on June 1, 1533. Queen Anne gave Henry a healthy daughter, Elizabeth, who would later become the greatest queen (Elizabeth I) that England ever had. By January of 1534, Anne was once again pregnant. The child was either miscarried or stillborn. In 1535, she became pregnant again, but miscarried by the end of January. Henry became frustrated with Anne’s inability to give him a son and heir. His interest in one of Anne’s ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, had also begun to grow. Anne’s enemies at court took advantage of the situation and plotted against her. The marriage ended tragically for Anne. She was executed on trumped up charges of witchcraft, incest, and adultery on May 19, 1536.
The 16th century styled wedding gown in the picture below is inspired by Queen Anne Boleyn. The dress is elaborately embroidered with a beaded brocade bodice, embellished with faux fur and pearls. The fitted sleeves were made in silk organza, topped with ruched silk, and held together by braid. The main skirt of the dress is a deep rich cream silk. It splits to show an underskirt of pearl-beaded brocade. The dress would have been worn over a shaped frame and petticoats.
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M.Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
PRINCESS SABRA AND ST. GEORGE by C.M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
There are many versions of the story of the legend of Princess Sabra and George of Lydda (also known as St. George, patron saint of England). This is one of the popular ones from the 11th century. Princess Sabra was the daughter of the King of Silene (Egypt). George, a crusader, had travelled for many months until he came to Libya. There George met a poor hermit who told him that the land was being terrorized by a dragon. The dragon had demanded that a beautiful maiden be sacrificed by the people every day. The King’s daughter, Princess Sabra, had been selected to be sacrificed the following day. The King of Egypt had offered his daughter’s hand in marriage to any champion who could destroy the terrible dragon. When St. George heard this story, he was determined to try and save the princess, so he rested that night in the hermit’s hut, and at daybreak set out to the valley where the dragon lived. When George drew near, he saw a procession of women, headed by a beautiful girl. It was Princess Sabra being led by her attendants to the place of death. George quickly overtook the ladies. He comforted the princess with brave words and persuaded her to let him intercede. The fearless George entered the valley where he fought the dragon long and hard. At a pivotal point in the battle, he called out to Princess Sabra and asked her to throw him her girdle, which she did. George placed Princess Sabra’s girdle around the dragon’s neck and as he did, the great beast backed down and meekly followed the Princess. After this magnificent conquest of the ferocious dragon, the King and the people rejoiced and soon converted to Christianity. And of course, George married the enchanting Princess Sabra.
The wedding dress below inspired by Princess Sabra was designed by Theresa Blake. It was constructed in a sage green matka silk, cut through in “princess line”. A belt worn at upper hip level helps to achieve the perfect Pre-Raphaelite silhouette. The main body of the gown was created in a unique “rustic” fabric (silk matka) - less glossy than dupion. At the hem, lions rampant, interspersed with pomegranates (a nod towards the famous “Proserpina” painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti) were appliquéd. The sleeves, fitted quite tightly to upper and lower arm, are slashed at the elbow to reveal a silk underdress. The same false under-chemise detail is at the shoulder to imply the dress beneath. Brown leather thong is used for lacing.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress by Theresa Blake was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Alice Pleasance Liddell
THE REAL ALICE IN WONDERLAND MARRIED AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY By C.M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came to this place in the middle of the tenth century, establishing a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day.
The Abbey houses a treasure of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artifacts. Westminster Abbey is also the place where some of the most significant people in Great Britain’s history have been buried, including perhaps the most popular Royal princess of all time, Princess Diana, whose funeral took place at the Abbey on September 6, 1997. Westminster Abbey has been the Royal coronation church since 1066, and is the final resting place of seventeen British monarchs.
Alice Pleasance Liddell (the real Alice in Wonderland) was married in Westminster Abbey on September 15, 1880. Other famous weddings at the Abbey include those of Princess Elizabeth II (later Queen Elizabeth II), Princess Margaret (daughter of George VI), Princess Anne (daughter of Queen Elizabeth II), and Princess Alexandra of Kent. Princess-to-be Kate Middleton will join this celebrated list on April 29, 2011.
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell at her wedding in 1880 to Reginal Hargreaves in the Abbey. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in the bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland, by C. M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin.
Theresa Blake trained at Wimbledon School of Art in period costume design. After helping to design magnificent gowns for major bridal and couture houses in the UK, she formed her own company, Rossetti Couture. Today, Rossetti Couture designs period wedding gowns inspired by historical princesses and theatrical costumes for individuals and prestigious entertainment companies around the world.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin designs many of her own clothes and is also the author of three best-selling, award winning books, including The Real Alice In Wonderland.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Kate Middleton
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 to Reginal Hargreaves in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in the bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland, by C. M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin.
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will once again be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, Rubin and Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories from CMRubinWorld entitled “KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS.” Beginning on Wednesday, February 16, the stories will focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
Theresa Blake trained at Wimbledon School of Art in period costume design. After helping to design magnificent gowns for major bridal and couture houses in the UK, she formed her own company, Rossetti Couture. Today, Rossetti Couture designs period wedding gowns inspired by historical princesses and theatrical costumes for individuals and prestigious entertainment companies around the world.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin designs many of her own clothes and is also the author of three best-selling, award winning books, including The Real Alice In Wonderland.
Theresa Blake and C. M. Rubin
Stories Are Gifts - Gifts That Inspire
From The Real Alice In Wonderland to Woman of the Year by C.M. Rubin
She has been the face of Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. This month she is hailed as Woman of The Year in the cover shoot for Bazaar’s December 2010 issue. Take a deep breath……and a mighty tumble down the rabbit hole to discover how a photo shoot (featured in The Real Alice In Wonderland book) helped her to get there. Natalia Vodianova talks to Cathy Rubin about Wonderland and the special gift that still inspires her today.
The table was a large one, and the three were all crowded together at one corner of it. “No room! No room!” they cried out when they saw Alice coming. “There’s plenty of room,” said Natalia Vodianova indignantly, and she sat down in a large armchair at one end of the table in her Christian Lacroix Haute Couture dress with painted and sculpted mink dickey over a lace top and frilled lame skirt. Stephen Jones, maker of the most beautiful hats in the world, wore a custom made one of his own design. Lacroix, across the table, looked sufficiently curious and madder than most, to satisfy our visualization of the March Hare. ”I was a big fan of Alice,” explains Natalia, “but only from watching brilliant Russian Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland cartoons. They gave me the books before the Annie Leibovitz shoot, and I read them and loved them. They really inspired me during the shoot.”
The December, 2003 Vogue photo shoot to which Natalia refers is legendary in the world of fashion. International celebrity photographer, Annie Leibovitz, utilized surrealism and the fast up and coming model, Natalia Vodianova, as well as some of the greatest fashion icons of all time (including Donatella Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacob, Tom Ford, Nicholas Ghesquiere, and John Galliano) to recreate the fantastical world in which Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland lived. And Annie Leibovitz had, naturally, done her research. Beyond nonsense, verse, and the most popular coming-of-age story of all time, one of Lewis Carroll’s true passions was photography. Indeed, he was the most famous child photographer of his era, and in particular, for his portrayal of models such as the moody young beauty, Alice Pleasance Liddell. It was this young girl (coincidentally my relative) who would inspire Carroll to write the greatest children’s story of all time – The Adventures of Alice In Wonderland. Carroll gave it to Alice as a Christmas gift in 1864. The beautiful, photogenic, creative, curious, young Alice Liddell grew up to become a widely loved and respected cultural icon, both in England and around the world. A woman ahead of her time, Liddell faced many trials and tribulations during her lifetime with great courage. A fairy tale wedding in England’s Westminster Abbey to wealthy property heir Reginald Hargreaves produced three children. The Alice books brought her international fame – fame she used as a platform to give back and help children in need.
So does Natalia think her real Alice In Wonderland Vogue shoot had any significant impact on her career at that time. “Absolutely,” she responds. “Everyone loved the story and me in it. Annie was deeply inspired by Lewis Carroll’s photographs of Alice Liddell. Liddell’s life has been the subject of many books. ”Born in Gorky, USSR (now Nizhny Novgorod Russia), Natalia grew up very poor. As a teenager, she was determined to help her mother and two half sisters (one has cerebral palsy) out of poverty. By the time she was 17, she had signed with Viva Models and relocated to Paris. Her sensational good looks captivated the world of fashion, and during the years that followed, she became one of the world’s top models, and was often listed in Forbes as its highest-paid one too. Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Guerlain, Givency, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, L’Oreal, and many others lined up to work with her. The highlight of her cinderella story was her marriage to Justin Trevor Berkeley Portman, a property heir and half brother of the 10th Viscount Portman. The marriage produced three children.
Alice Liddell’s fame came at a price - a price she well understood, but one she was able to manipulate in a positive way. I asked Natalia if fame had come at a price for her too. “No, she replies. I have never felt any pressure from being famous. It’s only been useful for creating my special gift, my charity, the Naked Heart Foundation.” Natalia’s charity work for children began after the Beslan school hostage crisis, also known as the Beslan Massacre. On September 1, 2004, a group of Inguish and Chechen Militants took more than 1,100 people (including 777 children) hostage. Three hundred and thirty-four hostages, including one hundred and eighty six children, were murdered by the terrorists. Natalia describes it as “one of the greatest cruelties that the world has ever seen.” She wanted to give the victims a special gift - a wonderland - a colorful place to play safely. She believed that was the best way to ensure they would be able to escape from the reality of what happened to them on that horrific day. And what might the real Alice think of having a safe, colorful wonderland of her own where nothing would be what it is and everything would be what it isn’t? Oh, I suspect Alice would like the idea very much.
To date, Natalia’s Naked Heart Foundation has built 54 Play Facilities throughout Russia, with a goal to complete 500 in total.
