Publish date: 2024-05-27

Still dreaming about Kate Middleton‘s wedding dress? You’re not alone!

Us Weekly just sat down with Kara Saun—the costume designer behind the latest Disney Channel movie, Descendants, about the villains‘ little princes and princesses. According to the couturier, it was a happily ever after—the wedding of the century, in fact—that inspired the characters’ threads.

“All these kids [in the movie] are like royalty—they’re fairy tale royalty!” Saun said, referencing the teen semi-baddies Mal (Maleficent’s daughter), Evie (the Evil Queen’s daughter), Carlos (Cruella De Vil’s son), and Jay (Jafar’s son). “For me, the only other way to think about their lives was to think about [Prince William and Kate Middleton’s] royal wedding.”

She continued, “I went back and looked at William and Kate’s wedding—the walking up the steps, coming in a carriage, how the other guests were kings and queens and other dignitaries… It was all a huge inspiration to me for the coronation scenes.”

The coronation in question belongs to King Beast and Queen Belle’s son, Ben. And naturally, where there’s a royal gala, there’s also a slew of stunning dresses—including the purple, pleated lace confection that Mal (Dove Cameron) dons. Saun said it’s her favorite out of the more than 1,000 costumes she created.

“I love Mal’s coronation gown!” the designer told Us. “I wanted layers and layers of pleated chiffon, a long flowing train, a high collar, and for it to be in her signature purple, of course.” Saun added that Mal goes through a major style transformation in the film, so the dress’ reveal is a special moment. “She goes from an edgy punk girl, to a preppy punk, to a punk princess at the end—that fairy tale moment.”

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Dressing Mal’s mom, Maleficent, played by Kristin Chenoweth, was a big delight for the designer, too. “My other favorite was Maleficent, because of course—she’s the queen of all evil!” Saun joked. “Kristin was just amazing, and she loved her costume, too. I mean, who doesn’t love Maleficent?”

To see all the costumes in action, tune in to Descendants on Friday, July 31, at 8 p.m. ET on The Disney Channel.

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