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Designers, Critics Praise Middleton’s “Elegant,” “Discreet” Dress

Kate Middleton

Catherine Middleton gets an A from the fashion world!

Legendary designers instantly weighed in on the 29-year-old bride's Sarah Burton bridal gown — featuring a plunging neckline, ornate detailing and a structured bodice — and compare the piece to frocks worn by Queen Elizabeth II and Grace Kelly on their own wedding day.

Related: PHOTOS: The most amazing royal wedding dresses

"She is very elegant," Karl Lagerfeld said, according to Women's Wear Daily. "The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor. I love the modest veil with the Queen Mother's Thirties scroll tiara and balanced volume of the whole gown. She's radiant; She never was so beautiful."

"Kate's dress was beautiful," Donatella Versace said. "She looked very regal."

Related: PHOTOS: Inside the royal wedding

Added celeb designer Elie Saab: "It was a very elegant dress, subtly refined and discreet, in keeping with her style. I would have liked it even more with a little extra volume and a longer train."

Peter Copping of Nina Ricci: "Very much in a royal tradition, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth's – and a little bit Grace Kelly. She looks happy, radiant and natural."

Related: PHOTOS: Kate Middleton's style evolution

"The dress is very simple and very nice," added Hubert de Givenchy. "The veil is a little flat, but because she has such a lovely face, she can afford to wear it this way. She is very pretty."

Related: PHOTOS: Celebs who attended the royal wedding

E! Online's George Kotsiopoulos tells Us Weekly: "Kate in Alexander McQueen makes her officially "cool." The open neck [of the dress] makes it more modern and yes, she played it safe but c'mon? The world is watching and it's not the time to take a fashion risk!"

Entertainment Tonight Special Correspondent Steven Cojocaru weighed in exclusively to Us. "The dress is pretty — exquisite in its simplicity and femininity, elegantly understated, but safe and painfully dull. I was not blown away, but I do give Kate high marks for being totally true to herself. It seems like a very confident choice from a real and earthy, modern woman who clearly didn't want a dress with a lot of bells and whistles. If she was going for a soft and refined feel, then she nailed it."

Designer Vera Wang tells Us: "Catherine truly exuded elegance, grace and poise. Sarah Burton's creation beautifully conveyed timelessness and a classic sensibility. To me, the gown was traditional yet modern, making it a perfect choice for a Royal bride." 

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