It was the dress that launched Kate Middleton mania (and a thousand knock-offs). Now, the infamous Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding gown is also responsible for attracting a record-breaking amount of visitors to the Buckingham Palace this summer.

Middleton‘s wedding dress was put on display in late July–and since then, according to People, “more than 600,000 people” have come for a glimpse of the frock, encased in glass at an exhibit at Buckingham.

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As it turns out, all the McQueen rumors were true; Kate Middleton wed today in a stunning long-sleeved creation by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

Burton and Middleton worked closely on the design of the dress, referencing English traditions and signatures of the McQueen brand. From the descriptions on the Official Royal Wedding Website, it is obvious that this design made full use of the unbelievable technique and skill of the McQueen atelier.

Of the choice, the official site says:

Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work..

The dress is made from hand-cut English lace, French Chantilly lace, and ivory and white satin gazar. The lace appliques were handmade by the Royal School of Needlework using a technique called Carrickmacross that originated in Ireland in the 1820s. The lace workers washed their hands every 30 minutes and replaced their needles every three hours to ensure that the lace remained pure white. The flowers designs in the lace are of actual flowers: rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.

If you thought Kate Middleton looked curvier than usual, you’d be correct.

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