Sarah Burton

>> Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton (and McQueen CEO Jonathan Akeroyd and a spokesperson from the label) have all categorically denied any involvement with Kate Middleton's wedding gown, although many still seem skeptical about believing them.

But McQueen aside, which other British or London-based designers have taken their names off the list of potentials? Marchesa, for one. “I’m excited to see what [Middleton]’s going to be wearing,” Keren Craig said. “I think she’s a very stylish woman, and I think she’ll probably choose something beautiful and classic. I don’t think she’s going to go for anything too trend-based or crazy edgy. She’ll look like a princess!”

Don't expect to see Middleton donning London labels Erdem or Vivienne Westwood, either — spokespeople from each label denied any involvement. And although wedding gown favorite Alice Temperley is making no comment on the matter, WWD cites sources saying that she's not doing Middleton's dress.

So who's remaining mum on whether they involved? Former favorite in the race, old school London couturier Bruce Oldfield; Issa's Danielle Helayel, who is a Middleton favorite (but Helayel is Brazilian and doesn't have much experience with gowns — honeymoon garb seems much more likely); and Catherine Walker, a brand which specializes in wedding gowns and made Princess Diana's burial gown.

>> Kate Middleton's wedding is just over two weeks away, and now reports are circulating that she has commissioned three wedding dresses from three different designers. That way, she has two "backups" in case the designer of her chosen dress is correctly leaked, allowing her to choose one of the other dresses instead. Word is that Jasper Conran may be one of the dress contenders — and Fashionista notes that the designer has taken the images from his most recent bridal collection off his website. Middleton is also expected to change into a different dress for her wedding reception.

Cathy Horyn, meanwhile, is still betting on Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton as the winner in the dress sweepstakes. Horyn points out that when consulted, Alexandra Shulman reportedly recommended that Middleton wear McQueen, and notes that Shulman's wedding-themed May 2011 issue of Vogue UK features models wearing Oscar de la Renta, Bruce Oldfield, Vivienne Westwood, and Marchesa bridal gowns. "Ah, but no McQueen dress in the mix," Horyn writes, "Its absence raising speculation that maybe Sarah Burton, the creative director of McQueen, is making Ms. Middleton’s dress after all."

The wedding guest list was partially leaked today, and one designer is expected to attend: Victoria Beckham. Last month, it was reported that after Beckham sent Middleton a selection of three of her Spring 2011 dresses, the bride-to-be phoned Beckham to thank her and asked her for general advice on eveningwear for her honeymoon.

>> Diane von Furstenberg was shocked after her ski accident six weeks ago, she tells the Telegraph UK: "Do you know what everybody said? 'This is a great opportunity for you to have a facelift.'" But her swollen face and broken nose didn't change von Fustenberg's mind about plastic surgery. "Any doubts I had about not having anything done evaporated, because all I wanted was to get my old face back," she says. "I don't want to be anyone else . . . All these women with fake breasts and cosmetic surgery — all that just objectifies us again."

Von Furstenberg may be anti-plastic surgery, but she's pro-Kate Middleton, who recently wore a DVF dress to lunch with the Duchess of Cornwall: "She's always worn my clothes." As for the school of thought that Middleton needs to step up her fashion game: "She's going to be Queen of England, but she's not from an aristocratic background, so she needs to play the game. Still, I like the fact that she seems to be very independent."

The designer also has opinions on who Middleton should wear for her wedding: "I've always found weddings sad for some reason, but of course I'll watch it on television. I think she should go for Alexander McQueen. But you know what? She reminds me more and more of Diana. Everything about her. I think she's there to avenge Diana's memory — that's clearly what William wants. Giving Kate his mother's ring was a great gesture, and I think that theirs will be a happy version of his parents' marriage. But he absolutely chose a woman who was like his mother — that was deliberate."

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>> Over the weekend, rumors popped up that Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton might be Kate Middleton's wedding dress designer of choice — and apparently lots of TV crews are on the scene at the McQueen show today, following up on the story.

Middleton is not known for her envelope-pushing fashion choices, but now, the Telegraph UK is reporting that shortly after Middleton announced her engagement last year, Buckingham Palace asked stylists and editors to name their "top choice" for the wedding dress designer. Among those approached, apparently, was British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, who happened to recommend McQueen.

>> Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Kate Middleton has chosen Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton to do her wedding dress. Burton was reportedly picked for her relatively low profile and her alternative take on elegance; Burton's work is said to have first caught Middleton's eye after she designed an off-the-shoulder wedding dress for Harper's Bazaar's Sara Buys, who married Camilla Parker Bowles's son Tom in 2005.

Work on the royal wedding dress is said to be well under way in Buckingham Palace, and the designer of choice has been sworn to secrecy. So it comes as no surprise that when questioned, Burton replied, "I am not doing it." McQueen CEO Jonathan Akeroyd, who reportedly told a colleague that Burton had been chosen, also denied the reports: "No, not at all. I am the CEO. I would know if we were doing it."

Cathy Horyn notes, however: "It wouldn’t at all surprising if the house and its creative director, Sarah Burton, had been chosen. I’m only musing, but a McQueen dress, in view of the late designer’s fascination with British history, makes a lot of sense. It also seems a good generational choice. And the studio, now expertly led by Ms. Burton, has the skills and resources to make a custom dress."

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